Google adds video chat to Android. Skype already enables video calls between Android and iPhone

Earlier this year, we forecast the active competition between Skype and Google for the mobile video chat market. And the companies justify our expectations. Yesterday Google launched the (wireless) update of Android-smartphones, that adds voice and video chat to mobile Google Talk. At first Nexus S models will be updated, then all other devices running Android 2.3 and higher. Built-in video chat on Android will work via Wi-Fi, 3G, 4G networks, and will allow to call from a smartphone to GMail and back. Recall that the operating system for tablets Android Honeycomb already has in-built video chat. Meanwhile, Skype is already ahead of its competitor - it already offers video chat for Android and iPhone, and even lets you make video calls between these devices.



However, for now these features are available not in the Skype's mobile client, but in Qik that was acquired by Skype in the beginning of the year. Qik works on Android 2.1-2.3.3, iPhone, iPad 2 and iPod touch with cameras. In addition to video chat Qik allows to to send video mail and upload videos on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. But the video mail will be free only until June 1, 2011 After that you'll need to pay for monthly or annual fee.

And while Google and Skype are learning the basics of mobile video calls, Fring for couple of weeks completed testing its multi-user mobile video chat and made it publicly available for iPhone and Android:

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