Users of Skype on smartphones running Microsoft's Windows Phone 8 are in for a pleasant surprise: crisp, high-definition (HD) video calls.
In a blog post, Microsoft's Derek Snyder said Skype for WP8 Preview's version 2.4 takes advantage of the phone's hardware acceleration.
"[T]his is our first smartphone app to enable free face-to-face video calls in crisp, clear and beautifully lifelike HD. We have significantly improved video calling quality for all users, offering VGA video on lower end handsets and 720P HD on higher-end devices including the Nokia Lumia 920, HTC 8X and Samsung Ativ S," said Snyder, head of mobile marketing for Skype.
Even better, he said the app "intelligently" determines the best video quality available given the speed of one's Internet connection.
Another feature that allows switching between front and back cameras lets a user "chat in the most comfortable way possible," Snyder said.
Skype contacts will be listed in WP8's People Hub, allowing them to start Skype conversations without having to fire up the app first.
But a separate article on “PC World” said there may still be some known issues to iron out before the Preview app graduates to a final version.
“PC World” cited a problem where picture-in-picture conversations may not work in all video calls. (http://www.pcworld.com/article/2031254/skype-preview-for-windows-phone-8-gets-hd-video.html
"Microsoft isn't saying when a final version of the application is expected to arrive, but the improved preview can now be downloaded from Windows Phone Store," it added. – KDM, GMA News
source: gmanetwork.com
