Samsung is offering its customers the ability to chat to friends and family from the comfort of their living room, after it was announced that two new HDTV models 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, means that users can surf the web from the comfort of their sofa.

Samsung is not the first TV maker to announce the inclusion of a Skype client with its television. Back in early January, LG and Panasonic revealed they would embed Skype in their latest generation of Internet-connected HDTVs. At the time, Skype launched high-definition video calling with the latest beta of its PC client.

It seems that the Skype client on the Samsung TV will also include Skype Out capabilities, meaning that not only can it make free Skype to Skype video calls (providing it has the relevant TV camera), but it can also allow for calls to mobile phones and landlines, at a much cheaper rate than other service providers.

“Our consumers want their televisions to be a ‘one-stop shop’ for entertainment and communication delivered with the highest quality,” said Kevin Kyungshik Lee, Vice President of Visual Display at Samsung Electronics. “Including Skype on our TVs meets that expectation perfectly. We’re thrilled that Samsung’s consumers can now use our TVs to experience the rich video and voice communication that hundreds of millions of Skype users worldwide enjoy.”

The Samsung LED 7000 and 8000 series televisions with Skype have now begun shipping in South Korea, but a worldwide release will take place “in the first half of 2010.”

“Increasingly Skype users want to communicate away from their computers, particularly when it comes to video calling,” said Jonathan Christensen, General Manager of Platform at Skype. “Thanks to Samsung, Skype is helping even more friends and families benefit from the meaningful connections that Skype’s video and voice calling provides.”

Tom Jowitt

Tom Jowitt is a leading British tech freelancer and long standing contributor to Silicon UK. He is also a bit of a Lord of the Rings nut...

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  • Having the ability to surf on the internet and talk on Skype on you TV without switching on the laptop or desktop is cool. One of the hassles of skype is that it has to be done through the computer.

    How does it work though, can you connect directly or will Samsung set up their own internet TV service?

  • Be cautious, you can only use the Skype authorised webcam, a 640x480 ,that doesnt do HD(720) and costs another £140. My Smartphones front camera is the same resolution. Its a RIP of for a facility that would be useful, (get the whole family around).

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