Nokia adds Skype to Ovi Store, foreshadows death of regular phone calls
By Vlad Savov 
posted March 3rd 2010 3:21AM
posted March 3rd 2010 3:21AM
posted March 3rd 2010 3:21AM
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I can't wait until all service providers become dumb pipes.
@Broderbund
+1 to that
@Broderbund
yup, i would rather they become data pipes with an actual business model around it! for now data is just another word for ripping....
@Broderbund
Here in Finland 70% of phones are bought unlocked and all dataplans are always unlimited(and i mean really unlimited. I haven't ever undrstood how can carriers example in Britain sell unlimited plans as separate and they still actually aren't what you are buying).
Still two largest carriers are making +5 billion profits every year and we got western worlds cheapest data plans and one of the world cheapest carrier costs in a country that doesn't have anything cheap.
I sure hope carrier come down from the place where they have been put in some countries, but that will be harder.
@Broderbund
now add a google voice application for non-skypers and carriers might be forced to up the ante on data support. goodbye calling plan, hello data era
@Pdexter
Here in Portugal "unlimited" is 12,50€ extra a month and is limited to 500MB.
So yeah, we're not used to data being unlimited
@Broderbund
Neither can I, but don't think that carriers, and their industry lobbying groups, won't try to fight this from becoming widespread. They dread becoming dumb data pipes, essentially utilities.
If they have to, I gather they'll unofficially agitate for a tariff or extra 'tax' on Ovi/Nokia phones. Don't put it past them.
@Broderbund Yes, The latest version of ovi maps include free turn-by-turn navigation for the most of the nokia phones after 2008. And it's all for FREE. Something tells me, this one is a winner release from Nokia. Although, I believe they won't give this to other competitors, 'that easily' Updates: http://bit.ly/ovi-maps-real-performance
@Ericloewe That i just don't understand. That goes unbelievable greed. Are there any other dataplans in use other than companie phones? I sure woulnd't.
Oh well hopefully somebody outside North Europe gets the idea as our carriers here(thought i believe Telia Sonera owns some big UK carriers) and notice their plan base to 4x in 2 weeks.
Actually new hit is selling secondary SIM with 384kbit/s - 5Mbit/s dataplans to be used with your laptop. 400 000 have been sold in a country of 5 million. Don't say me that they can't make money of 8 euros a month for 384kbit and up that is always real unlimited dataplan ;)
@doug Errr... you still sorta need a way to make voice calls; GV only works as an operator.
Man, even Nokia gets a native Skype app. It's really time for an Android app, it can't be that hard to code one.
@Godracos
If it's not that hard, why don't you make one?
@Godracos
Seriously, "even Nokia", the cell phone manufacturer that is bigger than the two next combined?
Besides, in N900 that came out several months ago, Skype was already integrated into the actual phone & contact functionality. Out of box!
It makes you choose whether you want to call using regular / Skype if you have both contacts for a person and with incoming calls its pretty hard to tell which is which.
@Godracos
Nokia's had native Skype apps for ages...
@Godracos
Use Fring or Nimbuzz.
I do; skype in my hand, erverywhere!
@ed yeah. it was in beta for over 3yrs on s60 and 3+ on maemo. + the awesome fring (vid calls!) & nimbuzz which have allowed skype on s60 for 3+yrs.
@Rev
Don't forget about Gtalk chat and calls.
@Munk
Fring and Nimbuzz is terrible on Android. Android needs to get a proper Skype using wifi too.
Wow, am I the only one thinking Nokia is setting up something badass for MeeGo?
C'mon Nokia, you're not out the fight yet!
Let's remind the world why Nokia's still around, and always will be
@AlexSanchez
Nokia is surprising me lately. I considered them doomed until recently, but they are being quite competitive recently. Way to go Nokia, the dying-but-still-fighting horse.
I still think they've got the wrong platform...
Damn, this is huge. Time for Big Red and others to jack up required data plans to $100 a month! We are so screwed..
Just asking: I've been using Fring in my Symbian for a while now. How's the Skype software any better?
@VTR
How dare you question the superiority of a Skype program made by Skype? Rawr! 8U (Yeah, no, it's the same.)
@VTR
Because Skype is natively built on symbian, and Fring provides (sort of) hacked version of skype. Same as pidgin vs. msn messenger, icq, etc...
@ssssMeego
That's not a very good way of explaining it really. They're essentially the same except one is made by Skype themselves. They have a Public API so it's not a "hack" at all.
Well fring does 2-way Skype video calls on S60.
The skype app for S60v3 has a bad layout and seems very flaky, it flickers the screen as it updates the status of each of your skype contacts.
@VTR : I prefer Skype's interface. Fring is a bit of a mess.
On the other hand, Fring just got video on S60 3rd FP2, so I keep both around.
@tbon3
Considering that camera is usually on the back of the phone how do you see your friend when you talk to them through your camera on the back of the phone? Or are there any Nokia phones with front facing camera?
I'm hot for mobile videochat! That would be so awesome for me to be able to do that!
Basically, what should I buy (what phone is the best for this purpose)?
Thanks!
@AlfaCat
Almost ALL of the Nokia S60 phones have 2 cameras, the main one on the back for photos and a secondary one on the front for video.
So go pick up one of the new Nokia C5 phones for cheap.
i'm still pissed they took the windows mobile version offline. has to be said. engadget hasn't reported on it, or has it?
i'm just pissed. i still have it installed on my phone, and it works as expected. way to piss off customers, skype.
@davepermen I guess it goes because of installed base...
WinMo has far fewer numbers of handsets than Symbian so I guess Skype wants to target that...
@davepermen They pulled Skype Lite and Skype for WinMo. But frankly, they shouldn't have released that Skype Lite in any case. Because you would have clocked up so much $$$ on receiving the calls, that you weren't aware are billed to you.
@davepermen
it was reported, yes.
@Mr w00t they should just have it let be on the webserver to download. declare it deprecated, what ever. all doesn't matter. WHY DID THEY REMOVE IT? it's perfectly functional. there's zero gain in removing it.
@davepermen Yeah its pretty stupid I agree...
But business is business dude :(
Buy an N900, skype is awesome-ly integrated with messaging and voice.
@c w j
I didn't see any stories about it. Hopefully they'll relaunch with 7 Series. If not at least they've got Symbian, Android, iPhone, and Blackberry covered. A webOS app would be nice too.
@Mr w00t i won't buy a new phone just for skype. i use that crappy app only because i can't contact some of my friends in a chatlike form in any other way. it's not like i ever liked the app. very closed-environment solution. badbad.
as long as i don't have to reset my phone, or change the phone, i still have it.
i just hate such business behaviour of today, simply not caring at ALL about customers. just about making money. solely. annoying.
@davepermen
You can still get it from Skype's servers!
Try the following link:
http://www.skype.com/go/getskype-winmobile-cab
@c w j
Hm. After searching, I guess that was BGR.
I rescind the previous.
This is not that revolutionairy, it was availeble as a beta for quite a while, I tried it a few times and it is not comparable with normal calls, too much lag.
So what's RIM's excuse now?
Engadget editorial staff to Engadget writers: commenter opinion of Windows Mobile less negative since WinPhone announcement; kick Nokia in the balls repeatedly about S60 until further notice.
I have a N900 and a T-Mobile 3G data-only (voice blocked) plan. With my Skype Unlimited I can call everyone I need to for a fix price.
It's great.
@ran
That's pretty awesome, I must admit. I want an HD2 primarily as a browsing-on-the-go thing (I figured Opera and/or Bolt) VS using it to talk, and was considering dabbling in the Skype thing, to see how that works, but I just found out a few posts above that there's no Skype for WinMo.
... DUDE, THAT'S AWESOME!!!!!!!!
Carriers will hate this, but not for the obvious reason. From a network load perspective, a Skype call over a 3G data connection is the least efficient way to carry voice. With mass adoption, this will kill the pipes.
It's probably more of an upmarket device feature for smartphones that will spend a lot of their time within range of a WiFi network. Straight voice traffic has a pretty low ARPU anyway, and Nokia's upmarket range sells heavily in unsubsidized form.
Utterly dumb move from Nokia again! No american carrier will ever sell Nokia phones again!
@jussipussi I dunno why you are so biased and hateful against Nokia. Instead of engaging into discussion you vomit your frustrations around expecting what?
Next time say something productive bro...
RIP in oblivion.
Engadget, you really need to sort out your bias and hatred of a non American phone company. This is supposed to be a professional blog, I don't come on here for propoganda purposes citing your own irrelevant opinion on how much you dislike an OS. Whether it is stale or not is not for you to judge and try to influence the opinion of others, you are here to report the news and facts and not to state your own feelings unprofessionally.
@williamlau05
On occasions I have some strong negative feelings about Engadget writing too, but almost everything you wrote here is wrong.
Hating Symbian is not hating Nokia.
They ARE supposed to write their opinions (and so can make the "stale" call)
They are not a news outlet for facts only.
@grobbo ack, in fact i like it, when they tell their opinion.