Despite some backlash against the new mobile Skype clients, Microsoft this week is pushing forward. And it’s updating the Skype mobile clients on Android and iOS, as well as Windows 10.
“We’ve received a lot of great feedback from the Skype community,” the Skype team explains. “We want you to know we’ve been listening, updating, and responding to your feedback.”
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Microsoft announced its next-generation Skype client apps about a month and a half ago, and it issued major new versions of Skype for Android and iOS at that time. The Windows 10 app hasn’t gotten a complete makeover, yet, however, and even this week’s updates are evolutionary compared to what we see on mobile. I’m curious now if the feedback to the mobile apps has changed any plans.
In any event, Skype for Android and iOS has been updated a few times since that initial June release with contact and conversation deletion, the ability to multitask while in a call, and notifications. This week, Microsoft added more themes and colors, so you can personalize the experience more, and it has updated the UI for improved legibility and navigation.
“The goal for this next generation of Skype is to bring the people in your world closer together than ever before,” the Skype team continues. “And we know—especially with your help—it’ll continue getting better and better”
As noted, the Skype app for Windows 10 hasn’t received a huge makeover yet, but this week Microsoft did issue an app update that adds several new features. You can now start new conversations, see your profile, and visit the dial pad from the top of your recent conversations. And the new Skype now works with the new Share interface that was introduced in the Windows 10 Creators Update so you can easily share files, videos, photos, links and more directly from the app. And Skype for Windows 10 now supports reactions so you can easily express how you feel using an emoji-like graphic.
Microsoft promises more changes to Skype for Windows 10 in the near future.
Stooks
<blockquote><a href="#146308"><em>In reply to Waethorn:</em></a></blockquote><p>SMS, iMessage, Facebook messenger and WhatsApp (which is owned by facebook?) is what 99% of the world uses.</p><p><br></p><p>Skype is dying and Google has a serious issue with its messaging strategy. Google needs to clarify its Android messenger, Hangouts, Allo/Duo strategy. </p>
Stooks
<blockquote><a href="#146309"><em>In reply to Farristhewheel:</em></a></blockquote><p>US 50+ year old crowd….think these changes are lame. Personally I think Microsoft has destroyed Skype and I quit using it a while ago. </p><p><br></p><p>Does your generation not use the dull corporate software at work?</p>
Stooks
<blockquote><a href="#146469"><em>In reply to Farristhewheel:</em></a></blockquote><p>I am sure there is some difference between the two jobs. </p><p><br></p><p>I mean would Slack and Google Docs be enough to replace what the outdated Microsoft and IBM software does at your corporate job? Or could updated Microsoft and IBM software do the same thing and probably improve things.</p><p><br></p>