New Skype Insider App Runs 3X Faster on Apple Silicon Macs

Skype is finally adding native support for Apple Silicon Macs with the latest version of its Skype Insider app. The company says that the update should be a “game changer” for owners of M1 Macs with 3X faster performance compared to the previous emulated version.

“Skype’s optimized performance for the Apple Silicon M1 chip is designed to provide an unparalleled experience, delivering maximum performance and reliability. With this native Apple M1 support, Skype delivers faster and more reliable call connections, so you can stay connected with the people who matter most to you,” the Skype team said.

You asked, we delivered! 🎉
Skype has released its native Apple M1 Mac build, and it's 3X Faster! 😀

It's available on the Skype Insider app, which is the early access beta app. https://t.co/nKPnfAwB9K pic.twitter.com/ndkYxOcBBL

— Skype Insider (@SkypeInsider) February 7, 2023

The first M1 Macs have been released back in the fall of 2020, so it only took a little more than two years for the Skype team to release a native version of the app that takes advantage of Apple Silicon. In comparison, Microsoft Teams started rolling out native support for Apple Silicon Macs  back in August of last year, so that team wasn’t exactly quick either.

Skype has pretty much taken the back seat in recent years as Microsoft Teams saw its popularity explode during the pandemic. There’s also a consumer version of Microsoft Teams that is now competing with Skype, though the latter still offers a slightly less cluttered UI.

If you want to test this new native version of Skype on your Apple Silicon Mac, you can download it from the Skype Insider website. The update should roll out to all Skype for Mac users pretty soon.