[DBMandrake]

So the much rumoured update to Skype has just come out, which supports not only video, but video over 3G :D

Interestingly they also decided to support 2 way video on the 3GS (using the rear camera) and receiving video on devices without cameras - like the iPad.

So compared to Facetime we have support of devices that Facetime doesn't (3GS and iPad) and support of Video over 3G - potentially a killer feature, especially when that call can be to any PC / Mac running Skype, not just to other Facetime phones.

So how well does it work ? I only have a 3GS to test on (the 3G is not supported for Video - probably due to insufficient processor power) so I did a quick test.

First on Wifi - latency with video enabled was low in both directions (no higher than normal PC to PC skype) and quality was decent but not outstanding - about 320x240 at an estimate, eg what Skype for PC/Mac used to be limited to until about a year ago when they upped it to 640x480.

Obviously Skype is working in speaker phone mode with video enabled, and here I was pleasantly surprised, held at arms length my voice was loud and clear on the PC I was skyping to, likewise audio from the PC was clear and loud enough (for a quiet room anyway) - FAR better than the speaker phone experience on a normal telephone call on the iPhone, where I never use speaker phone because the other end can't hear what I'm saying.

There are controls for turning video on/off, and switching to front/rear camera, if you have a front camera. Is it that useful on a 3GS with no front facing camera ? Well, yes, because you can receive video from the other end, and you can show them a scene you are looking at. You could always just stand in front of a mirror too ;)

Next up was 3G - using Three. While it did work, latency was quite disappointing, I would say on the order of 1-2 seconds, and the picture was a lot more pixelated. I believe that the cause of the problem is most likely the 3GS's lack of HSUPA - limiting upstream bandwidth to around 300kbit. With video in both directions the upstream bandwidth would be exceeded and latency would jump dramatically.

While I can't test it, I believe that the iPhone 4's support of HSUPA should solve that problem and provide a perfectly acceptable video call over 3G - at least on Three ;)

So, will any of the carriers attempt to block Skype video over 3G ? Or just slow it down on purpose so that it's unusable ? Will Apple be pressured into enabling 3G support for their own Facetime ?

I would certainly be interested to hear from those of you with iPhone 4's on how well it works - especially over 3G and over different networks.

[Ben]

I'm not a Skype user, but I'm certainly interested in any operator reaction that takes place. I'd like to think we're past that now that various stingy data caps have been introduced, so I don't think we'll see any blocking at the moment. Time will tell...

[DBMandrake]

I'm not suggesting any of the operators will outright block Skype, (although they might) but for Skype video to work properly you need a good quality data connection - a certain minimum sustainable bandwidth in both directions, (on the order of 500kbps) and low latency and jitter. (A few hundred ms at most)

It would be oh-so-easy for the networks to "accidentally" slow down Skype traffic to the point where the quality wasn't worthwhile - without actually blocking it. How would anyone prove this was happening when the quality of some 3G connections can be poor to middling even without purposeful neglect of Skype traffic ?

My prediction is that we'll probably see Three embrace or at least support Skype video over 3G, while the other networks will make no effort towards making sure it works well, hoping to kill it with purposeful neglect...

[Hands0n]

An interesting development in the wake of FaceTime (albeit on WiFi only for now) and Viber although the latter does not [yet] support VideoCalling.

Clearly, VideoCalling is not going to go away. It was near-killed off by the mobile network operators' punitive charges. They really do not want to see it working across their networks. However, people do like to see people. And Skype would not have spent the time and money getting Video working on their handset app if there was no demand for it. Sufficient, it would seem, that Skype thought it worthwhile. Apple, as usual, went out on a punt and there is no reason to expect it not to re-ignite the interest in the medium.

[3GScottishUser]

Useful if it's free but can I just remind everyone that when 02 launched 3G their video calls were priced at the same rate as voice calls and there was virtually no uptake.

Webcams are fairly popular as they can be set up properly and used in a controlled envronment but front facing video cameras on mobiles are a very different ball game.

I have used videocalling and it's a great novelty feature to show off technology but I'm still unconvinced it's of much practical use on a mobile phone, save those rare occassions in hotel rooms when there is nothing much to do!

[DBMandrake]

This sounds like a replay of a thread back when Facetime was released - essentially saying that video calls never took off. The difference this time (Facetime, and Skype on iPhone) is implementation.

There is quite some difference between a very low resolution, low quality picture on a 1" or 2" screen, on a call that costs the same as a normal phone call (or even more) which can only be made to another video compatible phone (which nobody you knew had) and having Skype on a phone which has a large high resolution screen, a decent camera, a very simple user interface, which is able to connect to any other device running Skype for free, including Mac's and PC's. A world of difference.

Will people who just make voice calls on phones use it ? Probably not. Will people who are already desktop Skype video users make use of it - you bet! I'm most excited about the potential of phone to desktop video calls.

I make use of Skype Video to call back home (to New Zealand) and because of the hassle of setting up and using Skype on a PC I don't use it as often as I might.

First I have to arrange a time for a call, then set up the camera on the laptop, (which is not built in) boot up the computer, be bombarded with windows update notifications and virus scanner updates, get Skype running, and then sit rigidly in front of the computer to stay in shot.

With video skype on the iphone (if I had an iPhone 4 with a front facing camera) I could get a push message saying "want to skype?" click one or two buttons and be in a video call across the world with no hassles, whether I'm at home or out and about. Although I'd have to aim the phone at myself, I'm free to move about and don't have to sit in one spot in the house, and it becomes trivial to use the rear camera of the phone to show people at the other end things around the house - like kids etc...

Then there is keeping in touch with your other half if you're away from home - I was working back shifts staying away from home for a while, so it would have been nice to keep in touch with more than just a phone call.

I don't see video skype calls as a substitute for normal phone calls, but rather as a quick and easy substitute for desktop skype video calls.