Nokia phones to integrate Skype

The N97 will be the first Nokia handset to integrate Skype

Skype is to be integrated into Nokia handsets, enabling mobile users to make free calls to other Skype users, see presence information for contacts, and send instant messages.

The VoIP and messaging client will initially be integrated into Nokia Nseries devices, starting with the new high-end N97 handset later this year, the companies announced at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

Skype said that the service will form part of the address book of the N97, enabling users to see presence information and exchange instant messages. N97 owners will be able to use the 3G and Wi-Fi interfaces of the handset to make Skype calls.

As with Skype on the PC, calls are free to other Skype subscribers but users will be charged for calls to landlines or non-Skype mobile calls.

Skype chief operating officer Scott Durchslag said that the move will benefit the many Nokia customers who already use Skype, as it makes the service easily accessible and simple to use on the go.

Nokia's N97 was announced in December 2008 and is now expected to be available from June. It features a 3.5in touch screen with a slide-out Qwerty keyboard for messaging, built-in GPS, and entertainment capabilities such as support for the Nokia Music Store.