Skype is building 3D video calling

Skype is working on a technology that will no doubt be impressive when used once and then promptly ignored for the rest of time – 3D video calls. Skype show this project to BBC in an interview.

In an interview with the BBC, Mircrosoft's corporate vice-president for Skype, Mark Gillett, said: "We've done work in the labs looking at the capability of 3D-screens and 3D-capture.

"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. But the capture devices are not yet there. 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."

Don't expect to see the option popping up on Skype screens soon, though. Quite apart from persuading people that buying 3D-friendly TVs or computer monitors is worth it, there's also the problem of how 3D videos can be made at home.

3D movies and broadcast television efforts have been seen by many industry watchers as something of a flop, after all. The BBC abandoned plans to use 3DTV tech for its programming, citing weak demand and the need for glasses as part of the problem, neither of which helps encourage the massive cost related to filming and airing 3D content. Sony also seems pretty much to have discontinued (though no official proclamation has been made) its dedicated 3D display for PlayStation gaming, despite 3D gaming being one of the best use-case scenarios for the tech.