Skype develops 3D calling, but it's 'too complicated' for users

Skype has confirmed in an interview with the BBC that it has developed 3D calls.However, the senior senior executive who was speaking to the British channel said that it could be years before the technology was launched to the public.

“We’ve done work in the labs looking at the capability of 3D-screens and 3D-capture,” said Microsoft’s corporate vice-president for Skype, Mark Gillett.

[caption id=“attachment_1069735” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  A page from the Skype website. Reuters[/caption]

“We’ve seen a lot of progress in screens and a lot of people now buy TVs and computer monitors that are capable of delivering a 3D image.We have it in the lab, we know how to make it work and we’re looking at the ecosystem of devices and their capability to support it in order to make a decision when we might think about bringing something like that to market.”

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Gillett points out that for now, there’s too much work involved in getting the multiple cameras you need for producing 3D images angled as you need them for live video calls.

It’s unlikely that Skype’s 3D calls will ever see the light of day, and even if they do, will be popular.

The BBC itself has given up on 3D broadcasting.Following an announcement thatWimbledon matcheswould be available in 3D, theBBCvowed to take a three-year hiatus from producing 3D video.

Kim Shillinglaw, who heads up the British Broadcasting Corporation’spilot program, cited the cumbersome process consumers face when gearing up to view three-dimensional footage.

In the BBC article, Gillett says that Skype is looking in the near-term at more practical improvements, like bringing 1080p video calls to hardware beyond the upcoming Xbox One console.