14 DAY TRIAL // After much speculation that Skype was gearing up to release a dedicated iPad application, the company’s VP of Consumer and Product Design, Rick Osterloh, confirmed in an interview that such plans are, indeed, true.
Skype this week leaked a demonstration video on YouTube. It showed the iPad app in action leaving us in awe as to how intuitive and user-friendly it seemed to be.
For one reason or another, the video got pulled, but a YouTube user was able to grab the footage in time to re-upload it for everyone’s viewing pleasure. It can be found at the bottom of this article.
It wasn’t certain whether or not the video was fake, but after contacting Skype’s Vice President of Consumer and Product Design, Rick Osterloh, TUAW was able to confirm that iPad users are indeed getting their own dedicated Skype application.
Osterloh told interviewers that he expects the iPad app to perform beautifully, knowing how the iPhone version of Skype doubled its userbase in just a month's time.
The iPad client has been in testing for a few months now. Osterloh is eager to get it out as soon as possible, the report claims.
He revealed to the blog that Skype for iPad will have everything the iPhone version has, and a lot more, but some desktop-level features won’t make it inside.
One of those is file sharing. Reportedly, it has all to do with the way iOS handles files.
Osterloh said it was the cameras in the iPad 2 that made this app "super compelling."
He also revealed Apple has been “super supportive”, as opposed to giving the app funny looks over potential duplicating functionality (FaceTime).
According to Osteroh, Skype for iPad will be a solid release for his company - one that will cement Skype’s status as one of the premiere online communication networks.
The app, likely finalized, is expected to hit the App Store any day now.