Full FeedSkype releases its audio codec for free
There’s a pretty good chance that if you use VoIP, you’re probably using Skype. With 405 million registered users, it’s quite the popular client. With the new 4.0 release I’m told the voice quality is a lot better (being on Mac, I’m using the Mac 2.8 beta, and it’s not clear if it uses the same codecs). It’d be only natural that Skype would keep that technology a secret so nobody could copy it, apparently that’s far from the truth.
Skype has announced that it would release the codec for its Silk technology which is what provides for its clearer sound. The codec is able to translate well over degraded networks, continuing to get decent quality on networks worse than the previous minimum. It actually “plays back” at 12 kHz, compared to the 3.4 kHz of most telephones, which even to non-audiophiles should obviously be a good thing.
The release of the codec means that Skype can actually be ported to more devices than the current computers, Android and Nokia cell phones. It could easily be ported to other smartphones, MIDs, and maybe even java capable “dumb” cell phones. It probably won’t make its way over to the iPhone any time soon, but it can’t have everything, can it? Either way, wideband audio for making calls should be accepted just about anywhere else the codec, and possibly Skype itself, winds up.
Read [Information Week]
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That is nice! but how this help Skype?
on March 5, 2009 at 11:57 AM - LINKThat’s a great question. Here’s are my guesses (and these are only guesses).
I imagine that if Skype opens up, that more and more people will use their standard allowing for interoperability between products. Perhaps companies will make their own VoIP products (like software and hardware) with the codec.
Right now, to voice chat using Skype, you’ve got to use Skype to Skype (or phones). Maybe this will allow Skype to call GTalk or MSN voice chat users in the future?
on March 6, 2009 at 10:41 AM - LINKIyaz brings up a good point. What I can see is maybe Skype can later ask those who use its codec to let their customers know. Or maybe they could buy up the companies that make products for new devices using their codec. There’s a lot of possibilities, but there’s a good chance Skype can get its name out there to those who might not know what it is (if those people exist) once the codec becomes wider-spread.
on March 6, 2009 at 10:58 AM - LINK