Beta testing of Skype for Windows Phone begins in a few weeks

Thanks to leaked information provided by an anonymous insider, we now know that beta testing of the official Skype client for Windows Phone is to begin in the very near future. Microsoft employees have been informed that invitations will be sent out over the next few weeks, so every one of them who is willing to do so will be able to join the fun and help with all the bug ironing before the app gets released on the Windows Phone Marketplace.

However, testing the Skype for Windows Phone beta will be limited to company employees only, meaning that mere mortals will not be allowed to participate. And that is actually a common procedure for Microsoft. Known as “dogfeeding”, the company releases its products for internal testing only before presenting them in front of the general public.

Currently, what we know about the Windows Phone Skype client is that it is coming soon, and that it will be deeply integrated into the mobile platform. It is quite possible, however, to see a stand-alone Skype app landing in the Windows Phone Marketplace so that it could generate a certain degree of user feedback, and then seeing the whole deep integration thing happening at a later time, possibly with the release of Apollo later this year. 

Is anyone excited about Skype finally coming to Windows Phone? Feel free to share your thoughts with us in the comments.

source: WP7lab via WMPoweruser