Skype Begins Closed Beta for BlackBerry

As expected, Skype is working on getting their voice-over-IP app onto BlackBerry (NSDQ: RIMM) after having a successful (if bumpy) run on the iPhone. The closed beta is all full for now, but it likely won’t take long for it to open up to the general public. We can only hope that the same issues with carriers won’t crop up this time around, but if they do, would RIM bend over backwards to stay friendly with them, and potentially keep Skype out of App World? It might not be that drastic, but it’s entirely possible that we’ll see yet another Wi-Fi-only lockdown, especially since they’re calling it “Skype Lite”. If you’re in a rush to get started right away and can’t wait for the open beta, third-party apps have been plugging into Skype for awhile now (IM+ is the big one).

[via Skype]