Skype is in the midst of a sweeping design overhaul, Microsoft has revealed.
The original video calling app might not be the dominant player it once was (remember when ‘Skype’ was a synonym for video calling someone?), but it’s still a widely used tool. So much so that Microsoft is attempting yet another refresh of its tatty sub-brand.
In a new blog post, Microsoft acknowledges the app’s uneven past before promising an “improved, faster, reliable, and super modern-looking Skype” for the coming months.
This will involve a completely revamped call stage featuring new layouts and themes. Now everyone in the call will be represented on the call stage, even if they don’t have video active. Those who choose to share only audio will get their own new colourful background themes.
Another big improvement for the new Skype will be to performance. Microsoft claims that this has been bolstered by as much as 30% on desktop and a mind-boggling 2,000% on Android in certain scenarios.
Besides these aesthetic and performance enhancements, the Skype team has promised to add support for all web browsers. It’s also adding a new TwinCam feature that will let you hook up you smartphone as a secondary camera for showing new angles, showing off pets and the like.
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And if you really don’t like that iconic Skype notification sound? The team is finally enabling you to customise those overfamiliar bleeps.
Microsoft will be rolling out these and many more tweaks and additions to Skype over the coming months.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
