The popular internet service, Skype, which allows people to make free phone and video calls across the internet, will now be built in to televisions from LG and Panasonic.

This means that Skype users will be able to have video chats with friends and family around the world through any LG or Panisonic TV equipped with this service in their living room.

The Skype tool will be implanted in to a variety of new high-def, internet-enabled televisions from major consumer electronics manufacturers Panasonic and LG.  It will enable Skype users to make free voice and video calls to other Skype users, and make cheaper calls to landlines and mobile smart  phone numbers throughout in the world.

Josh Silverman, chief executive of Skype has said “The popularity of Skype video calling has increased substantially in recent years”.  An average of 34 percent of Skype-to-Skype calls now include video. Many users who are video calling on Skype have expressed a desire to communicate with their friends and family from somewhere comfortable, and preferably on a big screen. “This led to the development of Skype embedded on HDTVs.”

Skype software will be embedded in to Panasonic’s new VieraCast internet-enabled high-definition televisions, and LG’s web-enabled LCD and plasma HD TVs. Skype users will need to plug an additional webcam in to their television in order to have video chats with friends or other Skype users.  Skype said the webcam should be able to pick up sound and video across a fairly sizable distance, so users would be able to have a video chat from the comfort of their couch. Skype recommends that it’s users have high speed wireless at home.

Pricing by Panasonic and LG has not been released, but the TVs are expected to be available in the UK later this year.

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