A decent Skype client is finally available for Android devices, but there's work to be done.Skype has had a love/hate relationship with mobile devices over the last few years, such as the rise of crippled Skype Lite clients and restrictions on 3G functionality. Things seemed particularly grim when Skype ditched its Windows Mobile client which, at the time, was the only Skype Mobile client that offered access to all of Skype’s features over wifi and mobile broadband.
Skype’s efforts for Nokia devices saw things start to turn around, yet the early Skype for iPhone client was pretty disappointing. Of course most of the issues were due to Apple’s limitations on the device. As Apple relaxed restrictions on multi-tasking and mobile broadband functionality, Skype responded with a respectable app for iOS4.0 which scores ticks in plenty of boxes.
With the iPhone sorted, Skype’s developers have turned their attention back to Android - releasing a promising Skype app for devices running Android 2.1 or higher (a limitation which unfortunately leaves a lot of Android owners in the lurch because telcos are so slow to release official Android updates for their devices). Even then it’s only officially supported for the HTC Desire, HTC Legend, Google Nexus One, Motorola Milestone XT720 and Motorola Milestone - with issues reported with the Samsung Galaxy S. The app requires a 480x320 resolution display and reportedly doesn’t work on small screen Android devices such as the HTC Wildfire. I haven’t had a chance to test this first hand, but it doesn’t surprise me - it’s exactly the reason why I’d be very reluctant to buy one of the growing number of tiny Android phones with a lowly 240x320 display.
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