Samsung to launch broadband-enabled HDTV with Skype

Samsung and Skype have announced they are joining forces for two new TV models due out in the next couple of months that will offer Skype video calling.

The Samsung LED 7000 and 8000 series models will also include Samsung’s Internet TV service, which, if the TV is connected to a broadband network, will give users access to online content.

All new owners of the TV models will be able to set themselves up with free Skype accounts using the TV’s remote control. Alternatively, existing Skype users will be able to log into their existing accounts.

All Skype video calls made through the TV will be completely free, as will voice calls between Skype users just like exiting Skype handsets. Meanwhile, it will also be possible to use Skype through the LED TV’s to call standard landline and mobile phones at a call rate of just pennies per minute.

There’s a price to pay for this level of connectivity though. The 7000 series will set you back around US $2,000 for a 40-inch screen. Users will also have to kit themselves up with an additional camera/speakerphone designed to sit on top of the TV in order to make full use of the Skype features. Unfortunately, there’s no word on approximate pricing for this additional gadget at the moment.

Speaking on the launch Jonathan Christensen, general manager of platform at Skype, commented on the collaborative offering: “Increasingly Skype users want to communicate away from their computers, particularly when it comes to video calling, Thanks to Samsung, Skype is helping even more friends and families benefit from the meaningful connections that Skype's video and voice calling provides.”