Following on from Part II where I discussed installing Skype on a Windows Mobile Device, in recent months I have moved over to Android and once again found myself in a similar situation as before. Skype on 3 was not supported for my mobile device (No wonder, since it’s the same phone with an Android OS!). Luckily, it didn’t take long before I found the answer to my problem (and hopefully, yours too!).

Solution 1 – Java

Just as with Part I and II, your Android device supports java. If you search “Java” on the Android market you’ll quickly come to a list of apps. I used Java/J2ME Runner to test it, and it worked pretty well for me. As I mentioned in Part II though, the java client is pretty ancient compared to other solutions available, and I would strongly suggest you check out the alternatives below.

Solution 2 – Native Skype app from 3

**If you are running Froyo (Android 2.2) skip to solution 3!**

3 offer their own native Skype client for “supported” devices which you can download from their site. Unfortunately if you’re here it’s probably because they’ve already told you your device is not compatible. Well, they’re wrong! The Skype APK (Android package extension) will work on many more devices than they let on, and even if they don’t allow you to download it, you can still install it and use it without any issues what so ever.

Skype Native APK

Solution 3 – iSkoot for Android

If you are running Froyo (Android 2.2) the native Skype app from 3 will force quit continuously. There may well be an update for it at some point from 3, but in the mean time there’s another solution. This solution also stands if you are NOT in the UK!

Full credit goes to Dawmuz on XDA developers for providing the modification to iSkoot enabling it’s use in the UK and many other countries.

Here is the UK version:

iSkoot APK

If you need it for your own country, please sign up to XDA developers (the best thing you can ever do for your mobile smartphone!) go to Dawmuz’s thread and download your countries APK.

This concludes my Skype on 3 trilogy, and I wish you the utmost enjoyment out of skype!

Thanks, and please leave a comment if I’ve helped out,
Jason

Posted from Bournemouth, England, United Kingdom.