Here are 4 questions to Julien Decot Principal Strategy Skype

Can you tell us more about the latest beta version of Skype 4.0 for Windows ? What are the main new features?
Skype 4.0 Beta 1 was launched back in June. It took the best bits of Skype and created the foundations of a more future-proof home that was simple for all people to use (especially mainstream consumers). For three-and-a-half months, we have been actively soliciting and collating feedback via numerous mechanisms. We have listened very closely to our community and we are pleased we did. We learned that there were some things about Skype that our users really valued but were missing in the new version.
This feedback has directly impacted the design of Skype 4.0 Beta 2 for Windows (launced on October 01) . Based on feedback, we have changed the user interface for a second time.

We have:Introduced a compact view as an alternative to default view (full screen). The compact view offers users an alternative view depending on how they prefer to use Skype. We’ve also introduced the ability to resize either default or compact view so it fits each user’s personal preferences.

Improved our alerts and notifications – people told us that they were missing IMs and events because they were not receiving notifications. As a result, we’ve added a new system tray alert that pops up when you receive instant messages, without cluttering the screen. In addition, we’ve included a new icon alert with animated message count at the bottom right hand corner so you can see when someone is trying to contact you. This way our users never have to miss a message.

Contact Groups – some of our users also valued being able to group their contacts together. So, we’ve re-introduced them as contact categories (so they aren’t confused with group conversations).
You can find more information here:

You’ve had a partnership with the mobile operator 3 for several months now, cannot you tell us more about it ? Is it successful ?
Yes, we’vebeen working successfully with the mobile operator 3 since 2006 when we launched Skype as part of the revolutionary X-series mobile broadband package. The X-Series was really the launch pad for our mobile internet strategy. The 3 Skypephone was subsequently launched a year later to bring the idea behind the X-Series to a lot more people. Demand for the 3 Skypephone has been high. In fact, media reports in the UK indicated that the 3 Skypephone was ‘flying off the shelves’ in 3 stores across the country. In the UK more than 150,000 units of first 3 Skypephone have been sold since launch in November 2007.

Cumulative Skype to Skype minutes since launch of 3 Skypephone (in November 2007): 100 million across all phones (including those by Nokia, Sony Ericsson and LG). Average monthly Skype to Skype minutes since 3 Skypephone launch in the UK: 10 million Skype to Skype minutes across all phones. 3 is a challenger in the industry, and we will continue to innovate on the mobile platform withthem.

What are your plans for Skype on mobile in the few months to come ?
Knowing that the majority of people who access the Internet for the first time over the next ten years will do so on a mobile device, the mobile Skype experience is going to be significant. We are focussed on rapid innovation, delivering the new features and products people want, and by integrating Skype software and services on the mobile platform.

Back in April earlier this year for example, we released a beta version of Skype for your mobile, a mobile "thin" client that works on about 50 of the most popular Java-enabled mobile phones from Motorola, Nokia, Samsung and Sony Ericsson.The beta version of Skype for your mobile is available worldwide with a feature set that includes chat, group chat, presence (seeing when your contacts are online), and receiving Skype and SkypeIn calls.* This product is still in the beta period as we are gathering feedback and suggestions from our users, as well as to adding support for more phones and countries and addressing some known issues. In the few months to come we will be launching the public version of Skype for your mobile.

Our focus with this product is to enable the core Skype experience on as many phones in as many markets as possible. We value usability over advanced functionality and we will work with partners to make Skype available on as many mobile phones as possible.

Do you have any precise data on how Skype is used on mobile devices ?
We don’t have any precise data on how Skype is used on mobile devices. We do know that the needs of a mobile user are different from the needs of a user on a computer for example. That’s why we are focussing on bringing the core Skype experience of Skype-to-Skype and low cost calls to landlines and mobiles on as many phones and in as many markets as possible.