News / Voice
Skype tests a client for Java phones
In April 2008, Skype released a test client for Java-enabled handsets and stressed that mobile calling through it was still at an early stage.
A hybrid calling arrangement
The client used the ordinary cellular network for parts of a call. Skype therefore cautioned that local or national mobile charges still applied, while calls to landlines and mobiles could attract additional Skype charges.
Features and availability
Skype said the test supported messaging, presence and group chat, with operator data charges for those features. It listed roughly 50 compatible handsets and limited mobile calling functions to selected countries, while other markets had a narrower feature set.
A constraint of the period
The story captures a transitional design shaped by Java phones, carrier billing and uneven international availability. It does not imply that the named client, pricing or coverage remained available after 2008.