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Skype 7 for Mac and Skype for Windows preview announced

by Mark Tyson on 10 October 2014, 10:05

Tags: Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT), Skype, PC

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New versions of Microsoft's Skype desktop client have been introduced today. The big change is that the program is straying from its traditional focus on video and voice calling and instead, making a shift to refocus on instant messaging. The freshly updated Skype for Mac and Windows announced today benefits from a new mobile-style redesign as well as improved chat experience.

Skype for Mac has been updated to version 7.0 and a preview version for the new Skype for Windows was also made available. The company highlighted its efforts in making the overall look and user experience more consistent whether users are using a mobile device or a desktop PC. Skype users can now see in-line thumbnail pictures of their contacts, a new bubble-style chat design and coherent bold icons for chat, video calls and audio calls.

In addition, Skype has refreshed the chat experience by improving file sharing with icons displaying the file type, photo display are fully inline, the UI has a cleaner look, and the free group video call feature works "better than ever".

A new side-by-side design on the Mac platform will further enhance the communication process to enable text and picture messaging while in a video chat (see above). Meanwhile the mobile-style layout aims to simplify the interface. It is said that the redesign will help Skype better fit in with Mac OS X Yosemite, which is expected to be released later this month.

Both clients are available now and you can download Skype for Mac 7.0 and the preview for the new Skype for Windows by clicking on the links.



HEXUS Forums :: 7 Comments

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I WANT TO USE IT AS A PHONE NOT A TXT CLIENT !!!!!111oneelleven :-(
I'm only really interested in the Windows one and that doesn't look bad to me. I don't think they've overdone the whole phone look, which seems to be rare.
“The big change is that the program is straying from its traditional focus on video and voice calling and instead, making a shift to refocus on instant messaging.”

it always had messaging!
they mean they want to make the messaging now look like everyone elses?!
Considering how Skype's text messaging has always been awful as it focused on audio/video chat instead, this is a welcome addition, especially since WLM's text messaging was superior in every regard and Microsoft simply forced users to migrate to Skype. And yes, even through WLM service restore workarounds, things simply didn't work properly, hence Skype becoming the viable alternative within the same software environment.
Another vote in favour of this change.

Skype was a stab in the back for the many loyal users of Messenger/MSN/WLM. Mobile users have plenty of other alternatives to skype, but for PC users (who have been around the longest) no longer have any viable alternative. I can't say I'm a big fan of the layout, but it still looks like an improvement over the current design.