Skype Coming To Samsung HDTVs [Samsung Joins LG, Panasonic Bringing Skype To Internet-Connected HDTVs]

Skype has been trying to expand its business model before its upcoming IPO stock offering. In January, at CES, they announced that they were bringing their peer-to-peer VOIP calling technology to internet-equipped HDTVs from LG and Panasonic. Now, Samsung has joined the fun, as Skype will be featured on their new HDTVs, too.

This partnership between Samsung and Skype has apparently been going on for sometime, but was just made official last week. Not all new Samsung HDTVs will come with this Skype connectivity – only ones in the LED 7000 and 8000 series will have this feature (for the time being). The Skype connectivity will be branded under Samsung’s InternetTV@service which is their lingo for an Internet-connected TV.

Users are forced to purchase a Skype Freetalk TV webcam from the Skype Store if they care to use video chat. Skype hasn’t announced pricing yet, but the conventional regular (non-TV) version of their Freetalk camera is currently selling for $19.

No word why Skype would force you to use this, the service should let you use any cheap $10 webcam you want, but one supposes they’re trying to make a few dollars on the deal. Even the Skype Store lists the Freetalk series of webcams as “Standard Quality” not “High Quality”.

Whatever the case, once Samsung HDTV owners have been setup with their Gestapo-approved Skype Freetalk TV webcam, they can begin using Skype from the comfort of the sofa – all of Skype’s controls can be access through the TV’s menus by using the remote controls.

The TV-based Skype service will have all the features of the regular desktop Skype, including free in-Skype calling as well as SkypeIn and SkypeOut paid calls to real-life phones. The aforementioned video chat is also included