* Announces partnerships with LG and Panasonic, which are adding Skype to selected new HDTV set models
Skype announced at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas that it will support video calls on PCs in 720p high definition, as well as Skype software embedded into Internet-connected widescreen television sets. Skype has been delivering video conferencing to the desktop as a free service since 2005, so the HD-quality upgrade is a logical evolution of its existing PC to PC service.
CES Preview: Gadgets for the Year Ahead
To enable the upgraded video calls on a PC, users will need a high-speed broadband connection, an HD Webcam, a PC with a 1.8GHz dual-core processor, and Skype 4.2 Beta for Windows. To support video calling from the TV set, Skype announced partnerships with LG and Panasonic, which are adding Skype to selected new HDTV set models. Skype has integrated its voice service into the HDTV video conferencing solution with built-in software that supports free Skype-to-Skype voice and video calls, Skype voice mail, low-cost “off net”calls to and from the PSTN, and voice conference calls with up to 24 other parties.
Skype’s success with the living room video conferencing will be defined by the entire user experience and although early demonstrations at CES look good in a controlled environment, consumer HD video conferencing quality will be at the mercy of the user’s broadband service quality — unlike enterprise-grade telepresence where IT managers have more control of quality of service with private IP connections.
To mitigate some of the QoS issues, Skype-certified HD Webcams encode and process the video in the camera, eliminating the need for a high-performance computer or separate box to encode the HD video. The new LG and Panasonic Skype-enabled TV sets will use external HD Webcams that are optimized for Skype video calls, also providing external processing and including microphones with optics specifically designed to pick up sound and video in a typical living room setting, according to the company.
So far, four external HD cameras have been certified by Skype and will be sold online via the Skype shop: faceVsion Webcam will ship in February 2010 one camera with a microphone ($99) and one without ($69), while In Store Solutions will offer the Freetalk HD Pro ($120) and Freetalk HD Pro Plus ($140), which will both be available in March 2010.
Our observations: Even though the Skype-enabled HD video conferencing product won’t be available on LG and Panasonic TV until mid-2010, Skype’s announcement will have a ripple effect on the consumer IP video services and device market because broadband network service providers and device manufacturers are also looking at adding consumer telepresence to their portfolio. Regardless of the price, customers will choose and keep their solution based on the user experience; therefore, solution providers will also need to make the user interface easy and the quality of the communications acceptable with service attributes like with understandable audio and pixilation-free video.
Next time: We hear from magicJack reporting at CES about their progress with femtocells.
