Second-gen 3 Skypephone S2 makes debut

Skype, together with network operator 3, have once again teamed up to bring the second-generation of the 3 Skypephone, dubbed S2. Functional changes from the original VoIP candy bar handset include the addition of a bigger screen and HSDPA wireless network support. The 2.2-inch, 320x240 resolution display replaces the old 176x220 unit, while the built-in camera now takes 3.2-megapixel photos as opposed to 2-megapixel captures.

Onboard storage of the S2 is 50MB, with a micro SD card slot supporting cards up to 4GB in size. To encourage browsing offered by the HSDPA network connectivity, the S2 will feature quick access to applications such as Facebook, Windows Live Messenger and Google via a dedicated control.

The Skypephone S2 will be available to UK residents online on August 28 and from 3’s stores starting on September 1. Pricing is expected to be in the equivalent $130 range, and like the original should see availability expand to include Italy, Sweden, Hong Kong, Australia, Austria and Denmark. [via Register Hardware]