Skype with video lands for Verizon’s HTC Thunderbolt

Owners of the HTC Thunderbolt, the only LTE handset available on Verizon’s LTE network, are now able to enjoy Skype with video calling, according to tech site Engadget.

The Thunderbolt, which debuted in the US on 17 March, was expected to launch with video enabled Skype pre-installed, but it did not appear in the released product. While video enabled Skype is already available for Apple iOS devices, this would have been the first time that it was available for a Google Android OS powered device.

While Skype with video has not yet been officially released to the Android Marketplace app store, a leaked build is now available for download via Google Android community site Droid Life. The build only works on the Thunderbolt and enables users to make Skype video calls over the LTE network to other Thunderbolt owners or to Skype users on a PC or Mac.

Video calling was touted by the carriers as a big selling point for 3G services, but did not make much impression with consumers and it remains to be seen if it can act as a draw for LTE.