PS Vita To Support Skype?

Tuffcub 21 Comments

A presentation given by Sony in Sao Paulo, Brazil seems to indicate that the PlayStation Vita will support Skype.

The image, captured by the website GameGeneration, clearly shows the Skype logo on the top right of the screen.

Skype was recently purchased by Microsoft but they have said they will ‘continue to invest in and support Skype clients on non-Microsoft platforms’.

PS Vita, 3G conection and Skype – I bet that’s going to make the TSA Podcast team happy.

Source: GameGeneration.

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21 Comments

  1. I just can’t see this being true. Why would Microsoft license one of their products to their nearest rivals? Moreover, why would Sony want one of their competitors technologies incorporated into their device? Just all seems a bit wrong!

    • I seem to remember the article about the Microsoft/Skype merger on TSA saying it probably won’t affect current business relationships. You can use skype on the PSP, so it’s not that unbelievable.

    • Apple sell Microsoft software on iTunes, in turn Microsoft giving Apple money.

    • MS has no handheld hardcore gaming platform (winphone doesn’t count) so psvita isn’t really a competing product.

      Sony would want it because it’s another bullet point in the list of features for the vita.
      Microsoft would want it because it will attract users to skype. Which they then can sell other skype enabled devices once they’re hooked, or sell skype services such as calling to landlines.

      If sony or microsoft (or any other huge businesses) chose to not do any kind of deals with their competition they’d lose out on a lot of money, why would they want to do that?

    • Why would they cut off X% of users who are Skype users just because they are using a Sony product?

    • Well Skype’s about to be embedded into HP/Palm’s WebOS, so I don’t see why it wouldn’t be on the Vita too, which is much less of a direct competitor.

    • Microsoft are big friends with sony in the non gaming market, all of their windows advets have Sony Bravia TV’s, Sony Vaio laptop’s etc…

      But then again, The Vita is in the gaming market, so this post seems slightly pointless :(

      • I always think it would be so weird if you moved jobs between Sony divisions, to go from hating Microsoft in the gaming section to loving them in the PC section (or vice versa).

  2. I’m very glad most of the functionality works like a tablet/mobile device.. In my eyes the more features, more value.

    • and all the better.no need for MS to prevent Skype on PS VITA

  3. As the responsible for this picture I can say that Sony didn’t metion Skype during the presentation, but the logo was in the slide. Lets hope for it! Thanks for publishing this news into TSA!

  4. Microsoft did say they would continue support for Skype on current devices. Maybe this deal was signed before the takeover. Good news as it’s the closest PlayStation will ever get to Cross Game Chat.

  5. Microsoft owns Skype, which makes it odd, but it wouldn’t surprise me though, as there was an advert for Chrome on Skype yesterday.

  6. Either Microsoft are making huge amounts of money from this, or the contract/license for PS Vita to use Skype was already signed/stamped before Microsoft bought it? Or, Microsoft will just pull it and the presentation guys didn’t have time or forgot to remove the logo. Seems mad that they would allow it though

  7. It came out recently Mircosoft make more out of each HTC Android phone than an Windows Mobile 7 phone because of licensing fees. This is just an extension of this. Get the public used to your product and some will pay for the premium product.

    More exciting that Skype as having DLNA, streaming from PC to the Vita perhaps? Or maybe being able to stream your own mp3 to your Vita where you have a signal.

  8. I don’t see why people think this is so crazy. Yes, Sony and MS are comepetitors, but they’re both in the business to make money. Having Skype on as many devices as possible is smart for the owners of Skype. It’s a way for MS to get some money out of Sony and potentially from Vita users.

    Buying a service such as Skype and them limiting it to MS devices and windows computers would just be silly, and bad business. That would be like them not allowing Skype on Mac’s or other apple devices. It’s not like they’re allowing Gears of War for Halo go to the Vita.

  9. skype should not have been bought by microsoft. i would be very surprised to see it on the vita.

  10. Guys, Microsoft bought Skype, not Microsoft Game Studios.
    Also, the Playstation Vita is not in competition with ANY Microsoft product.
    Skype was on the PSP, and I for one (despite the change of ownership) am not surprised to see it on the Vita.
    I expected it to be honest.

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