Nokia are to start supplying their high end handsets with Skype pre-installed starting with the N97 later this year.
It’s already possible to download Skype for many mobile handsets, the big difference comes when the manufacturer installs Skype as it’s then fully integrated with features such as the phone’s address book.
This will be an interesting move as many mobile phone companies have been wary of offering devices which effectively offer free calling minutes to their customers. However according to Josh Silverman, CEO of Skype, 3 has actually seen its average revenue rise by 20 percent for consumers using Skype phones. Already more than 300 million minutes’ worth of Skype to Skype mobile calls had been made, with current rates at about 1 million minutes per day.
I’ve always like Nokia handsets, although currently I’m using an HP iPaq phone – When (if?) the N97 with Skype built in becomes available in the UK, on Vodafone, it’s going to be too tempting to resist.
4 Responses
I’ve just got a blackberry storm on vodafone, I was considering going over to 3 so I could get skype with it but last minute (on asking for my PAC code) vodafone came up with a great deal (as they do when you are trying to cancel).
It’s nice to see Skype being enabled on the Nokia, I too am a Nokia phone fan, so when I’m tired of the storm, hopefully it will be available here in the UK.
Nokia may well put Skpe on the phone but Vodafone have a habit of removing features they don’t like. The Vodafone Nokia N95 had VoIP disabled so not sure they would enable Skype on the N97.
Scott Durchslag has now posted more info about this on the Skype blog
I will certainly buy a N97 the day its comes out, just as I did the N95.
As for skype, it will be off there faster than shit off a shovel! (and if i can’t remove it there will be a complaint to nokia)
Why on earth use a buggy voip platform to route your calls when you can just use your local phone network?
If i’d wanted to use voip I’d use a cheaper, faster, better network off my phone, not skype anyway, preferably interfaced with my office to give me all the normal pabx functions.