Where is Skype? Alec Saunders said it would be here by US Launch

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Yes, a Skype on Blackberry thread! Original, I know. This one is a bit different though.

On February 1st Alec Saunders tweeted that Skype would be available by the time a Utah man could buy the phone. That man can now buy the phone, US launch has happened - but Skype is not here. Where is Skype? A release date announced by an official Blackberry staff member has come and passed. It is not a stretch to call the tweet a lie.

It would have come in very handy with something that came up today for me to have had Skype. I am disappointed that Blackberry is still missing dates they give the public.

I must say in my opinion, he has done a great job with developers for the BB10 launch. However, based on his tweets, it appears Alec is laying on a beach in Caracao while this late app issue gets sorted out in Waterloo.

"Coming soon" still I guess?

Alec has a band practice. Leave him alone. :)

Skype is supposed to require the updated Android player. Until an OS update comes out, Skype will probably be on standby, especially if carriers have to approve the OS update.

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Originally Posted by Xopher

Skype is supposed to require the updated Android player. Until an OS update comes out, Skype will probably be on standby, especially if carriers have to approve the OS update.

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So based off that Alec was assuming we would have the jellybean run time by March 22? hmmmm

Well strictly speaking, not all US carriers have it yet. But my guess is something went wrong and it was silently delayed. I doubt it actually requires an update to Android Player, unless it's a minor update, as Jellybean has been confirmed not to be coming in 10.1.

Originally Posted by Bold_until_Hybrid_Comes

So based off that Alec was assuming we would have the jellybean run time by March 22? hmmmm

Who knows, but we know that Q10 should be out within a month, which is when OS 10.1 is to be released, which means Skype should be out also within a month.


Not liking this delay. I was boasting to my friend about how I could skype him from my Z10 by March, but looks like that isn't going to be happening.
Though March isn't over yet, it could somehow miraculously come out next week since there are technically some carriers which haven't launched the Z10 yet.

I thought Skype for BlackBerry 10 was an Android 2.3 port adapted by the Skype team itself? Which means it would not need Jellybean update.

Need to find out where I saw the post saying that...

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Originally Posted by BadGoliath42

I thought Skype for BlackBerry 10 was an Android 2.3 port adapted by the Skype team itself? Which means it would not need Jellybean update.

Need to find out where I saw the post saying that...

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That was my understanding as well

Even on Google Play, Skype's minimum OS requirement is listed as 2.1, so I'm very skeptical of the need for an update to the Jellybean runtime.

Originally Posted by Andrew4life

Who knows, but we know that Q10 should be out within a month, which is when OS 10.1 is to be released, which means Skype should be out also within a month.

Not liking this delay. I was boasting to my friend about how I could skype him from my Z10 by March, but looks like that isn't going to be happening.
Though March isn't over yet, it could somehow miraculously come out next week since there are technically some carriers which haven't launched the Z10 yet.

The Skype delay does suck, but I've looked into FaceFlow and it seems a decent alternative. There's a native BB10 app and other platforms (including tablets like PlayBook) can use FF on a browser.

If Skype can't get their act together, resourceful ppl look for an alternative. That's the free market!

If Skype needs the Jelly Bean runtime, then it'll take a while before it arrives. BB's internally testing Jelly Bean update to Android Runtime, but they are no where close to commercial release.

However, as I noted in other threads, we've seen the Skype icon on actual devices used by BB folks (Andrew Bocking during the demo). i'm sure they've been testing it and working with Skype on it. In the blog post in Inside BlackBerry, Skype is mentioned as being available "IN THE COMING WEEKS". Hopefully, "in the coming weeks" is less than 60 days....

Also, I have no doubt that Alec was genuine in believing that the Skype app would be available already by US launch. He wouldn't have had exact timelines for US launch either (since the timeline is dictated by the US carriers). He probably has a sense as to the timeline of where the Skype port is, and it's probably because some issues got in the way when porting Skype over.

We know Skype's porting its app (better that the instagram situation), we know it should be coming soon, just be patient folks. BB10's only been out for less than 2 months.

Originally Posted by greatwiseone

If Skype needs the Jelly Bean runtime, then it'll take a while before it arrives. BB's internally testing Jelly Bean update to Android Runtime, but they are no where close to commercial release.

However, as I noted in other threads, we've seen the Skype icon on actual devices used by BB folks (Andrew Bocking during the demo). i'm sure they've been testing it and working with Skype on it. In the blog post in Inside BlackBerry, Skype is mentioned as being available "IN THE COMING WEEKS". Hopefully, "in the coming weeks" is less than 60 days....

I may be all wet but I was thinking I read somewhere that the initial will be a port and they will making a native version later?

Originally Posted by kbz1960

I may be all wet but I was thinking I read somewhere that the initial will be a port and they will making a native version later?

html5 skype is in development and BB runs html5 well...ithink some people were just trying to peice the two together

It hasn't launched with all U.S carriers yet.
I'm not sure where this rumour came from, saying that Skype would require the Android player update...
Neither Skype or BlackBerry has stated this...

Originally Posted by kbz1960

I may be all wet but I was thinking I read somewhere that the initial will be a port and they will making a native version later?

sorry im totally off topic but...
dudeeeeee!!! you have like 23 000 posts for real?????
:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

now i feel all nob again

ps : forget about the android runtime, this excuse is stupid and cant be hold as i actually have skype running on my old dell steak with gingerbread (dont judge me ok! i replaced the screen on this thing 5 times...150$ each times...dont ask me why :rolleyes: ... no way im getting rid of it, and its still useful for instagram and skype :p )

Originally Posted by r0v3rT3N

It hasn't launched with all U.S carriers yet.
I'm not sure where this rumour came from, saying that Skype would require the Android player update...
Neither Skype or BlackBerry has stated this...

Dont' remember where the rumours started either. I think it stemmed from something being said about integration with the OS and how that was not available at this point on the Android player.
Only time will tell.

I'm confident that Skype will be released within a month.

Something interesting I found. If you watch the launch video at (1:50), the apps were announced in reverse order:
Blackberry Apps Skype, Facebook, Angry Birds and More Jan 30, 2013 - YouTube
Skype
Amazon Kindle (March 21)
WhatsApp (March 13)
SAP (Not sure what this is, and doesn't seem to be available yet)
Angry Birds (Feb 1)

Probably just a coincidence, but still interesting.

Isn't Oovoo supposed to be released soon also?

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Originally Posted by sling

Isn't Oovoo supposed to be released soon also?

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Faceflow is making a native app. It works in the browser and with any flash enabled computer. The developer made the BB10 app first is working on apps for iOS and Android but wanted to do BB10 first.

Originally Posted by BerryWizard

sorry im totally off topic but...
dudeeeeee!!! you have like 23 000 posts for real?????
:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

now i feel all nob again

ps : forget about the android runtime, this excuse is stupid and cant be hold as i actually have skype running on my old dell steak with gingerbread (dont judge me ok! i replaced the screen on this thing 5 times...150$ each times...dont ask me why :rolleyes: ... no way im getting rid of it, and its still useful for instagram and skype :p )

LOL, I have opinions :D not that I really know anything. No judging here, use what works for you :yes:

Edit: and about half of those are in the 50K thread and pantless :D

I just copied this from the Skype website.


Is Skype available for BlackBerry devices?
If you have a new BlackBerry smartphone powered by the BlackBerry 10 platform, you will soon be able to download and run Skype on these devices. We are working closely with BlackBerry to ensure the Skype for Android app runs great in the BlackBerry 10 environment.



So if you want it faster email Skype directly

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Seriously, you're all over thinking it. The Android runtime has very little to do with it and if you're counting on the Jelly Bean update coming in the next little bit then you're setting yourself up for disappointment.

Which will in turn just end up making you bitter and angry and then you'll be complaining about how it should have been here by 'now' when in reality it was false expectations created by your own imaginations. Remember, BlackBerry Live isn't until May and that's their big show along with Jam being held at the same time.

I'm not saying you'll have to wait until then for Skype but I am saying it's insane to think you'll see JellyBean before then. ;)

Sorry to go psychotherapist on ya's but it's true -- just jump through some rumor threads and view the angry bitterness revealed in the past when things didn't turn out as people had wanted, lol.

Well, the Q10 hasn't been released yet, so maybe Alec knew that by the time BOTH devices were released, Skype would be ready, so he felt comfortable saying it would be available by the time of the US launch no matter which device the man in Utah chose.

For all those wondering, the RUMOUR that an updated runtime is needed came from N4bb

Skype for BlackBerry 10 is an Excellent Android Port - N4BB

Not sure where he got it from, but if that's the truth, it'll take a while before the app arrives (which as I noted above, is INCONSISTENT with "coming weeks")

Skype has been on an internal beta for a while, so the release should be pretty soon. From what I am hearing the latest version is running very smoothly.

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Originally Posted by bassicmama

Well, the Q10 hasn't been released yet, so maybe Alec knew that by the time BOTH devices were released, Skype would be ready, so he felt comfortable saying it would be available by the time of the US launch no matter which device the man in Utah chose.

Or, he figured Skype would be out the last week of March, and considering the original timeline was last week of March for the US launch. (AT&T released slightly earlier than the rest of the carriers), technically he's not wrong based on his original assumptions.

We'll know next week. I have a feeling Skype will be out by the time all the carriers have released the Z10. E.g. by next Thurdsday.

(Fingers crossed but not holding my breath. It's **** month at school, so I don't have time to be refreshing BlackBerry World)