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99 Comments

Skype icons turn up in latest BlackBerry 10 Dev Alpha update

By Adam Zeis on 15 Jan 2013 10:24 am
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In the latest BlackBerry 10 Dev Alpha OS update, some sleuthing found a few hidden gems burried in the OS. When diving into the embeded icons, BBVietnam came across the icon set for the device that included not only Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, but also Skype. Yes, that Skype. Now we can't say for sure what this means (if anything) but it is a good sign. We've had no official word on either side as to if Skype will be available for BlackBerry 10 at all, but the icons do get us a bit curious regardless. 

Things like this have been spotted before in early versions of an OS, so there's no saying if we'll see them in there at launch or what their purpose even is at this point. We can cross our fingers and hope for the best as we've done all along. January 30th will be a big day and we'll certainly find out all we can at the big media event.

Source: BBVietnam 

Topics: Skype BlackBerry 10 BlackBerry 10 Dev Alpha News & Rumors

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Adam Zeis Adam Zeis 3025 (articles) 2789 (forum posts)
99 comments

rajdeep.malhi

i wonder if someone can confirm this and that someone just didnt photoshop them in.

oh and first!

Easy-G

I'm going to guess, with a dash of hope, that it is not Photoshopped, unless the Photoshopper went through the trouble of arranging all the icons, including the Skype icons, in alphabetical order lol

megajo123

Im not to good with photoshop, but I agree.

avatsaev

I'm very good with ps, and this is not hard to do

sj10689

I don't think it's photoshopped - people are going to find out eventually if BB 10 has Skype or not. Also, I just received an email from Windows Messenger saying that Messenger will be "retired" for Skype. The older BB phones had Windows Messenger, so there's no reason why BB 10 shouldn't follow suit with Skype (which I presume would've happened, regardless).

Also, I assume that Skype is available for Android devices, and considering that Android apps were made accessible to the PlayBook, since the BB 10 infrastructure also runs on QNX, there's no reason why BB 10 shouldn't have Skype. The front-facing camera should definitely be a heads-up, as well. Skype is definitely in demand, and RIM would have to be crazy not to want Skype to run on BB 10 phones. The absence of such could be a dealbreaker for some.

ddlax22

Again, its not up to RIM. Its all on micro$oft..and we don't think they will but you never know. There are alternatives to skype. But also, it does not work on the playbook, so it will not(presumably) on BB10 either.

sj10689

On that account, I hope BlackBerry Video chat proves to be a big hit; also, it would be major plus if BlackBerry Video chat could be used to somehow chat face-to-face with someone who happens to be using Skype, but that's probably out of the realm of possibility.

But this is just a minor bump in the road, in my opinion. The very things BB 10 should do well ought to make Skype functionality a minimal factor in deciding whether to purchase a BB 10 or not.

whitbags

Well, if nothing else it certainly is exciting to see.

Dave79

I dont think it's photoshop'ed who would waste time like that. Then again it doesnt mean there will be a skype app available.

Skype is a make it or break it deal for many people the fact that microsoft is closing down messenger to move IM to skype give me some hopes though.

Smiley88

That doesn't mean anything.

Toodeurep

Probably just contact info picture.

koolrosh

Yup. These icons appear with a group of icons that appear on your contact info. Probably just a the icon for the field to enter a skype ID.

pepe241185

so why have a field for a Skype ID if you won't be able to contact them on Skype? See what i'm saying? I think we might see some deeper integration of Skype than just the app.

ThaMunsta

If you check out BBVietnam's post on it they also pulled out some code that apparently says item.isSkypeInstalled ?
Looks to be an install icon if it actually is real... Agreed though, still doesn't mean anything. Hopefully it will come later if it isn't there at launch. I think I'm allowed to be hopeful though ;) #BB10Believe!

I_Am_Paranoia

I like turtles.

ekafara

I don't give these often, but you get a +1

megajo123

Chocolate kind thats good for dessert? Or amphibious kind thats good with a little bit of salt and butter?

BSFA2008

You suck at pop culture. Watch more youtube.

Skeevecr

As long as they are all the way down.

raymond

Sub thread ever. Boarderlands, zombie kid, stephen hawking and skype!!!

megajo123

Well, I have seen the I like turtles video, a while ago, I just prefer to use youtube for more important tasks, like music, BB10, ERB and stuff like that.

iToya

Skye isn't make or break for me, but it would be a great selling point for RIM..cheers to Jan. 30! 15 more days!

Schmurf

Agree, Skype is nowhere near a breaker for me. I couldn't care less if it was there or not.

Alex_Hong

Actually i think skype will be on board sooner or later, since that MS is retiring Windows Messenger. So i'm really not surprised to see this. Perhaps it might be sooner than later.

IslandGuy

I couldn't agree with you more. MS would be shooting themselves in the foot if they ignore Blackberry in their migration from IM to Skype.

sj10689

Absolutely; as mentioned in my comment above, RIM has no reason not to want Skype on their BB 10 devices - along with a front-facing camera, this is just one more reason to expect Skype to be present in BB 10's BlackBerry (App) World.

Nefiasm

These look like contact icons, I am sure I have seen the contact area with a Skype icon greyed out, this does not indicate an app for BB10 - please keep that in mind.

bmantz65

Hmm, the greyed out icon is titled 'ca_skype_read.png' so that icon is for a read Skype message. So could we see Skype messages in The Hub and that means Skype integration is built in? At least the text chat method maybe..? But if they would do that, why not do the video chat portion as well..

supraking

Excellent point. If this was just for a field in the Address Book, we wouldn't see the second icon. Fingers crossed!

ryanlrobinson

Skype is the one product feature that I think has the most potential to make or break BlackBerry 10 (the biggest overall factor I think is marketing rather than product at all).

Rootbrian

BlackBerry Messenger Video Chat will be much much better than skype. At least it's native AND it's blackberry to blackberry communication, as what other clients do.

primusd

Agreed, these don't convince me there will be a Skype app per se, but might point to some kind of Skype integration (it could be as meaningless as a field in the contact list, but ideally some ability for BBM Video to interface with Skype... something which had been floated a while back). In a similar vein, isn't the word on the street that el Goog will not be supporting BB10 with apps, but there's still a Gmail icon??

THBW

Gmail can be integrated into the hub as noted in several videos (see today's other postings). In terms of other services, there is just a bucket of 3rd party Apps (at least on playbook) that integrates Google Maps and cloud services. I don't any big issue here.

In the end, it is in Google's best interest to support BB as it is MS. It is all about the battle of the eye balls in pursuit of advertising revenue. You decrease your audience, you decrease your revenues. It is already weighing on the minds of Google Executives who are starting to see ad revenues shrink due to competition.

bmantz65

I think there will be integration with the OS and not just an icon to use with a contact. I am thinking that because there is an 'unread' and 'read' style of Skype icon in that list. Just like with the Twitter and Facebook icons in that list. So there might not be a standalone Skype app, but it would baked in and the OS will tell if you are getting a BBM Video Call or Skype call perhaps?

MoolahMitch

This was rumored in the forums early last year as to how Skype would be in BB10

sj10689

Considering that consumers are fickle (and often tech-illiterate), it would behoove RIM to have a Skype app readily available on BB 10's App World, instead of some "workaround" plugin. Integration with messaging and email clients can be complimentary, though.

BlackBerry Video chat should be available, alongside Skype. Offering choices for consumers who wish to choose is the right approach - they don't want to be told what to do, and they are often very uncompromising.

leafs123

There's a gmail icon on there too...doubt they'll launch a gmail app.

pallox

Google puts its tentacles everywhere ;)

pepe241185

watched a video earlier of BB10 and noticed the Google Talk icon. I know RIM makes these apps but the fact that it's there means the RIM/GOOGLE relationship is not that stink ... who knows, maybe Google Maps will show sooner than later ...

Rootbrian

RIM only made those apps for the legecy blackberry java OS that runs on blackberry 7 devices. Google will have to make their own app for blackberry 10.

Plazmic Flame

Check the forums, there were leaked photos of a Google Talk app recently.

Jonathank

TAKE that with a grain of salt.....the PLAYBOOK was also advertised with SKYPE... Remember the picture from the marketing department with the new playbook and one of the icons was Skype... Until it actually runs then I will believe...

alan510

I can't believe they would make the same mistake twice. RIM is smarter than that. It is better to show nothing than show something and then not have it at launch. That would simply draw attention to the negatives rather than the positives, to the observation that RIM can't deliver. I guess we'll find out soon.

Rootbrian

You can't blame RIM for microsoft not making the skype application. Get that through your head.

BBPandy

+100
Skype said that they would be building for the PB, and then a couple weeks later M$ purchased skype & said "no skype on PB".. You can't blame RIM/BB for that.

....Amazon did the same thing. They said the kindle would be on the PB and then decided no, we want to make our own tab

D2bleD

Attention Attention: Skype will be there, not an opinion, but a fact. Maybe not at launch, but they will be there

Rootbrian

ONLY if microsoft makes the skype app.

koool1

I do not believe it. MS does not want to give RIM any chance of making it IMO.

pallox

me neither. i think it's fake again.

chucklebutte

Skype? Who uses it? I have over 300 contacts in my phone, 0 use Skype. About 250 Facebook friends, 0 use Skype. How is it that I know about 400 people and none of them uses Skype? To be honest I've never met anyone that "Skypes". I know more people who Tinychat and Chatroulette more than Skype. Now Netfilx.... Netflix would kill it. Not a Netflix user, but 99% of the people I know swarm to those stupid redboxes like crack heads to crack houses.

axe50

Now I see.

Clearly the decision whether to include Skype -a cross platform messaging application that is used heavily by both consumers and enterprises, which was also notably absent in the playbook, is based on your contacts.

G-bone

Got to agree with chucklebutte...don't know of anybody who uses it. Doesn't mean it shouldn't be there for the Skype - heads. It should be there. Everything should be there.
And sooner or later everything will be there...
#BB10Believe

soren203

Where do you live? Here in Canada almost everyone I know uses messenger or skype now that they have merged I suspect a lot more skype users

PatrickMJS

Both skype and netflix should be on BB10 at launch.

Rootbrian

Only if microsoft and netflix makes their own apps. DON'T BLAME RIM FOR NOT HAVING THEM AT LAUNCH! Don't EXPECT rim to have them either. THEY DON'T MAKE THOSE APPS.

chrysaurora

Skype is the new Windows Messenger. It does NOT mean that Skype with voice (skype to skype voice calling or skype-to-phone, phone-to-skype) is coming. It's just the new (text based) Windows messenger (now renamed to Skype Messenger or something).

It's just going to be a field in contact list. Like you've fields for Yahoo, BBM, Email, Google talk etc.

eyhab27

We already have Skype Voice on our 9930's. I would think voice availibility is understood, its the video that is in question.

Rootbrian

Only on verizon and 3UK.

sj10689

Regardless of the details, consumers will assume that Skype comes integrated with face-to-face video chat; if BB 10 offers Skype without that feature, especially since a front-facing camera is included, this will turn out to be a considerable bust.

Drew Oswalt

OMFG! Where is AIM? If they don't have AIM I'm going to burn all my BBs and go buy 100 iphones. BB is so far behind everyone. I mean come on guys, a phone that can relocate whole cities and countries is revolutionary! No. It's magically delicious. Rofl.

Rootbrian

Dude, relax. If it's sarcasm, I'll laugh with you!

But there is imo.im, which allows you to login to so many Instant messaging clients, AOL/AIM included. They need to make a blackberry 10 application!

D2bleD

Again...not an opinion, but fact. It will be there. Sigh...

Marc_Paradise

Typically one can cite verifiable sources when claiming something is a fact. Do you have any of those?

bigopti

They better bring it! I prefer having full skype functionality over bbm, facebook and twitter!
BBM is closed off to only BB users, while facebook and twitter are just entertainment things which I could also do in the browser.

Non of the things mentioned before let me make video calls to other Skype users all over the world, independent from the platform they are using, be it a pc, tablet, phone.

Why I am still waiting for BB10? Cause of the superior os and security!
But I also kinda need Skype to work as well, you just can't force all the people you need to switching to a different app or even a phone.

And people complaining about Netflix is totally beyond me! A phone needs to be a communication platform, a smartphone also needs to be able to get things done!
Not watch a movie or anything else. For that I have a pc, laptop and tablet!

Rootbrian

Netflix and Microsoft have to make their own app. RIM doesn't make the apps. Haven't you thought of those developers?

k8bushlover

Yes, if your tablet is iPad, Android -- not PlayBook. I would like Netflix on PlayBook, not my phone necessarily -- although I do in fact have it on an Android phone, I seldom use it there.

So, if Netflix comes to BB10, it may also come to PlayBook. But PlayBook alone has not been enough to entice Netflix off their asses to make a native app, or even port the Android version.

But your railing against people who do want it, even on their phones, doesn't really help the cause. Thanks for enlightening us all as to what OUR smartphones are for (Skype, apparently.) Do, or don't do, whatever you want with yours. Not everyone is the same, thank goodness.

Or, you could try to understand, instead of just saying something is beyond you and dismissing it as inherently worthless.

jasonvan9

I think something else interesting is the icon labelled "non_bbm_videocall"

RubenDM

Maybe just to point out the person you would like to talk with does not have a bbm version that supports this ? like os 5 versions ?

Blackberry by choice , bold 9900 & BB playbook

Bilaal

Minus the filename of them images, I would have assumed the greyed icon would be an "offline" one with the "coloured" icon being an "Online" one..

megajo123

Come to think of it, Skype has a normal messaging function, it may not be Video chat, as I'm assuming we all want, if its real at all, I would say its more likely it would just be for normal everyday messaging.

pingote

Es totalmente lógico si pensamos que Skipe es el sucesor de Messenger

It is entirely logical if we think Skipe is the successor of Messenger

grnrprl

VIBER, where's VIBER ???

Rootbrian

Ask VIBER's developers.

janjan18_18

That skype icons is a bit of a tease.
It maybe just a messaging type like the android ported one but lets see how RIM manage to convince microsoft if its really Skype.

Something UNUSUAL BB10

ricocan

Just under the Skype icons are a whole series of video chat icons, would these be associated to Skype or to BB's video chat service?

Personally I think there is a huge opportunity to out-do Skype. Really there's not a bunch, if any competition for it and it's due for a competitor to step in and do video calling better, way better. I am not saying Skype isn't good, but it's been around for a while and hasn't seen any significant technical progression (please correct me if I am uninformed).

I think it would be pretty jaw dropping if RIM stepped up, they are all about connecting people after all and this is one function that really could use an overhaul!

Playbook007

I find video chat on the playbook much better than Skype on my laptop.....very choppy very often.

tutibreaker

download link !!! i want that icon set

Playbook007

For Skype to come to BB10 I believe is a good move......in my own opinion, Skype ranks low since it refused to come to the Playbook.....if it doesn't come to BB10, then I will continue not to support Skype nor Microsoft. However, if it does show up, I think it will be a big boost for Skype itself.....80 million users are not happy with Skype nor Microsoft for their past behavior I would guess.

Rootbrian

I know, people seem to think rim makes those apps, because they're in appworld/blackberry world. At least we know microsoft has to get their shit together.

Driftdreams

Skype isnt on BB10... How do i know?... Cause the same thing was done for leaked pics of the Playbook. We all thought it would have it. However, not so much... So, chances of it coming to BB10 and NOT being leaked earlier... Highly doubtful.

@BBMarnel

Rootbrian

1+ for being sensible and in touch with reality. Microsoft has to get their poop together and make the skype application, if they don't, we all know blackberry messenger will be killing skype with it's video chat integration across playbook, blackberry 10 smartphones and blackberry 5/6/7 with audio chat. :D

Rootbrian

I'm hoping microsoft gets their developers together and makes that skype application. If they don't, I hope imo.im gets together to make their app, or at least port the android version, for/to blackberry 10.

I don't care much for skype, period.

BB_Bmore

I got an email today from MS telling me how messager is being replaced with Skype. NOW. So that's all this is I'm sure. Nothing to see here Skype will not be there at launch. Well video chat skype won't but I'm sure the Im version will be hence the icons.

ayb_br

Skype will not support BB10 ! someone at RIM told me this =/
it's Microsoft policy !

sj10689

Damned Microsoft; while I can't figure out an incentive for not making Skype (exclusivity, resource management, etc...), it appears that the move not to release Skype may indicate that they're surely feeling the pressure of the competition. The Windows 8/Surface launch has been sub-par for them, and I suppose that since they have control of Skype, they feel it would help them if they kept everything more in-house. But I don't know, exactly.

dannyd86

Its a bad decision on there part if they dont release it for blackberry. Right now google is doing the same thing to them, so they might feel justified. But The best thing for windows phone 8 is a strong BB10. The apple google stranglehold on the market is hard to crack, more competition the better.

Dont forget all companies arent competing over the same customers, the market is growing every year. Theres a lot of business to go around.

sj10689

The thing with Google also came to mind, and also made me wonder whether or not Microsoft was doing the same. In this world of mobile arms races, patents and lawsuits, the competition has never been more intense; the desire to innovate has never been greater. But yes, this is good, because companies will be further encouraged to design breakthroughs that will benefit the consumer in the long term (as long as patents and licensing issues don't get in the way).

I think BB 10 will be a success; BB can be a strong "third party" competitor. the fact that BB Balance can cater to both work/professional use and personal use, without mixing the two, should make this offer less of a compromise. Lastly, mobile security will be an ever-growing concern; that's where BB shines.

Branta

I saw a report online before Xmas (can't remember where) with a Microsoft statement that new mobile development for Skype would focus only on Win8, and other mobile platforms "would be considered later".

That more or less seems to shut the door on RIM for the next cycle.

Jaredius

If you want to gain market share, you have to give the people what they want.

nocturnal123

I gate to bring bad news but just got this email now. Makes it look like BB10 won't be coming at launch or maybe at all.

an I update to Skype on my mobile?
Yes! Skype is available on iPhone, Android and soon on Windows Phone 8. We encourage you to download the latest Skype app on your mobile and then uninstall Messenger. You will be able to sign in to Skype on your iPhone, Android and Windows Phone 8 mobile apps with your Microsoft Account over the next few weeks. If you use another phone with Messenger on it, it will continue to work for a while.

I hope we do get it because it seems so important to so many

BlackBerry Torch 9860 and PlayBook

Ashish Nayyar

Hello! Every one,
1) BB10 must have Skype to be used as messenger & video calls.
2) Price range should be within pocket of an average INDIAN to pick sale.
3) Will BB10 work with 3G service in India ?
4) Will BB10 prove better then i5 of Apple?

Ashish Nayyar

Which BlackBerry phone supports Skype in INDIA?