It’s been almost a year since Microsoft bought Skype, so it’s no surprise that the companies have been working on a Skype voice and video chat for Windows Phone devices. Now the first public beta is available.
You can download the app for free from the Windows Phone Marketplace.
It lets you make audio or video calls for free over WiFi, 3G, or 4G connections. You can also purchase Skype credit to make calls to phone numbers — which can come in handy if Skype’s international calling rates are lower than those offered by your phone company (which they usually are).
The Skype beta app requires Windows Phone 7.5 and has been confirmed to work on the Nokia Lumia 710, Nokia Lumia 800, HTC Titan, HTC Radar, Samsung Focus S, and Samsung Focus Flash.
Skype says that the app should exit beta in April.
