Skype is one of the more popular video calling apps for PC, and has been for quite a while now. But did you know that is also available for mobile devices as well? The mobile version of the application is called Skype Free and it is one of the better choices available out there, together with FaceTime. The first one is a third party app while the latter is a product of Apple, which came together with the iOS 4. Both of these services are available for free, but they do provide a slightly different experience for their users. I want to focus on these differences in my article and highlight them.
Usability options
If you compare versions of Skype for desktop and iOS, you will notice that the mobile version appears more limited. However, it still retains most of the core features, such as the ability to put a limit to outgoing video traffic. It serves mainly to save you some of that precious bandwidth. You are also able to call people using either your cell or Wi-Fi connection, something that is not supported by FaceTime. It (FaceTime) also is pretty limited when it comes to assigning the incoming calls. Here you can only choose between your phone and email.
Always be prepared
FaceTime is very intuitive when it comes to the interface. However, this also limits the available options for the user. For example, you do not have the friends list available you can’t make a confirmation while attempting a video chat. Instead, you just tap on the call button and select a contact from your list. However, there are some things missing from FaceTime that Skype Free has. For example, there is no option to make a call using cellular network. The only available option is Wi-Fi. Some of the carries can make cell network calls a possibility, but they are very limited.
Performance
Skype mobile does provide excellent quality of calls if you are contacting someone who uses an iOS based device or a personal computer. It does tend to lag a little if you are using cellular, though. In case of FaceTime, it has an even better quality of both audio and video calls when you compare their Wi-Fi performance. It improves even further if the recipient is also a Mac or iOS user. That can possibly be attributed to good cameras that are used in these devices. There no known sync issues for both apps.
Compatibility
Here, Skype is a clear winner. Not surprising, considering that FaceTime is more Apple focused. The latter app uses Mountain Lion as its OS and is available only for iOS users, of course. Skype, on the other hand, can be installed on any operating system, such as Android or Windows Phone, for example. It is even compatible with computer OS’s (Windows, Mac and even Linux).
To sum it up, both of these apps are excellent at what they do and it all depends on your personal preferences and choice of mobile device.