Microsoft is releasing the latest version of Skype for Mac today adding support for over a dozen additional languages and performance improvements for users. Beginning with Skype 7.5 for Mac, the communication app will now feature localization for the following languages: Hindi, Turkish, Czech, Ukrainian, Greek, Hungarian, Romanian, Indonesian, Catalan, Croatian, Slovak, Vietnamese, Thai and Malay. Expand Expanding Close
Microsoft is out today with its latest version of Skype for iPhone, version 5.10, as it continues to add refinements and features to the overhauled version of its app first released last year.
The new version of Skype for iPhone highlights the ability to save contacts from the app’s phone dialer just like the native Phone app on iOS. You can also save contacts to Skype from the recent call list starting with this version, and Microsoft touts improved chat notification reliability as well.
Finally, Microsoft is reintroducing support for Skype URIs which let other developers include interactions with Skype directly in their own apps including features like calling and messaging.
As long as the Skype app is installed on an iPhone, when a user taps on a Skype name or phone number, the URI will open the Skype app to connect a call or send a message*, making it faster than ever to reach friends, family or businesses.
For example, if you’re browsing restaurant options on an app or mobile website that utilizes Skype URIs, tapping on the phone number would launch Skype so you could call and make a reservation.
If you heavily rely on communicating with Skype frequently, this means you should see deeper Skype integration in other third-party apps in the future.
Microsoft is rolling out a new version of Skype for iPhone today, version 5.9, which brings enhancements to the user interface making communicating faster and easier. The latest version adds contact suggestions to the dial pad when entering a number making the process of finding the right person to dial quicker. The update also adds shortcuts for starting video or audio calls from Skype’s chat picker window.
In addition to introducing the latest Skype for iPhone user interface improvements, Microsoft announced a limited pre-release program for testing early versions of Skype in exchange for sharing feedback and ideas… Expand Expanding Close
We told you Microsoft released a redesigned version of Skype for the Mac earlier last month, and today Microsoft says the communication software is starting to roll out as a service on the Web. Skype for Web will allow users to chat, video call, and manage contacts from a web browser without having to download the Skype app. Microsoft is currently offering Skype for Web as a beta to select users. Expand Expanding Close
Skype has been updated to support the newly released OS X Yosemite and fix several issues. It is now easier to copy a link in a group chat, or leave the conversation. A few crashes related to video calls and searching have been addressed as well. You can grab the update from the Skype website.
Version 7 was recently released with a redesigned interface and other changes.
Microsoft has just joined the ranks of companies looking to capitalize on the success of ephemeral messaging apps like Snapchat. Through its Skype division, the company has launched a new cross-platform app for iOS, Android, and (of course) Windows Phone called Skype Qik. The premise of the application, as can be seen in the video above and screenshots below, is simple: you can record a quick video, and then share it to either one person in your address book or multiple groups of people.
Differentiating itself from some of the other players, the Skype-based solution is video-focused, and Skype is positioning it as a communication tool for in between full-scale Skype video chats. Notably, the whole service is connected to your phone number and existing contacts list, so it doesn’t require signing up with a standard Skype account. If you send a message via Qik to a user without the Qik app, the other person will be sent an SMS text message with instructions for downloading the Qik app to view the video message. This app is based on the technology from startup Qik, which Skype acquired a few years ago.
By default, videos will expire after two weeks, and you can also un-send messages at any time. A cool feature of Skype Qik is the ability to pre-record various 5 second GIFs that you can send as instant replies. So, if you don’t have the ability to send a live video reply, you can just choose one of your pre-record defaults. The app is free today on the aforementioned platforms, and Microsoft says that updates, such as one for blocking iPhone contacts (that feature is available today on Android and Windows Phone), will come often to enhance the feature-set.
You can view some screenshots of the iPhone app in action below:
Thinkapps’ Build Blog has published a few designer mockups showing what popular third-party applications might look like on Apple’s new smartwatch with some interesting results. The apps were created by several different designers, and you can see that each app maintains some of the branding and design you’d expect while conforming to the smaller wearable UI and its new input devices like the Digital Crown.
Above you’ll find the design for Facebook Messenger, which features a contact view made up of circular contact photos with online indicators that closely resembles the watch’s home screen. The message view sports a single reply button that presumably uses the device’s built-in dictation capability to compose a response.
Below you’ll find designs for apps like Beats Music, Skype, Uber, YouTube, and more. Keep in mind that these designs are hardly official, but represent the types of user interfaces you might see when the folks in Cupertino release the Apple Watch early next year.
Skype today has begun rolling out a redesigned version of its Mac client, bringing an enhanced look that better fits the upcoming design aesthetic of OS X Yosemite. The new design also brings the Mac app more in line with the recently redesigned iPhone and iPod touch version of Skype. The new look’s most significant new feature fixes a common #FirstWorldProblem: having to figure out how to send someone an instant message during a voice or video call. Now, the new Skype 7.0 update brings the split-screen view shown above. Improved multi-person video calls, easier sharing, and chat syncing across devices rounds out the update. Skype 7.0 for Mac is a free download from the Skype website. Some more screenshots are below:
Yesterday, Skype released an update for its iOS app to include iOS 8-optimized notifications and other goodies. However, it has no support for the higher-resolution iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus displays. That will change next month, per a Skype spokesperson:
We’re currently working on an update to Skype for iPhone that scales for iPhone 6 and 6 Plus screen sizes, which we plan to release in the next month.
Unfortunately, that sounds like quite a while. Hopefully the updated version isn’t just bigger, but more optimized for the larger 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch panels.
The Skype app for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch has now been updated with support for iOS 8. Unfortunately, this does not include support for iPhone 6 and 6 Plus screen sizes, meaning Skype still renders at a scaled iPhone 5s resolution.
However, the update does add interactive notifications which helps streamline responding to content. Hence, new Skype notifications have buttons attached to the alert which can perform various actions. For voice calls, you can answer or decline. For video calls, you can choose between voice or video responses. For missed calls, you can respond with a message or call the person straight back.
FaceTime and Skype have long been popular ways to make free video calls to your friends and family from your iPhone and iPad, but Viber has now joined the party. While video calling has been available on the desktop version of Viber for some time, the mobile app had previously been limited to voice, text and photo messages.
With Viber, everyone in the world can connect. Freely. More than 400 million Viber users text, call, and send photo and video messages worldwide over WiFi or 3G – for free […]
Make video calls from your phone to other Viber contacts on mobile or Desktop. You can also transfer video calls between mobile and Desktop!
The USP of Viber is that no username is needed – only your mobile number. When a contact joins Viber, the service spots that their number is in your contacts app and sends you an alert to let you know.
Viber is a free download from iTunes. Voice and video calls between Viber users are free (bar any data charges on LTE/3G). The company makes its money by selling stickers and offering low-cost outgoing calls worldwide.
For existing groups (and for new groups) we’ve placed a new call button in the bottom navigation bar. Simply tap it to start your call. We support up to four people on a group audio call in this first release, but you can expect to hear further news on this in the near future.
Once a group audio call has started, the number of participants will be displayed in the top bar. Tap the navigation bar to see the active participants on the call. You can also see any contacts that are in the group but not on the call. Furthermore, as the host, you can also selectively take people off the call without ending the current call.
Earlier this week, concerns emerged on Skype official message boards about the Skype Mac app no longer functioning on OS X 10.5.8 Leopard (an operating system that launched the same year as the original iPhone), and a Skype representative on the forums apparently confirmed that Skype will no longer be supported on Macs running operating systems below OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard.
While Skype has not been downloadable nor functional for Leopard users the past few days, a Skype spokesperson tells us this morning that this will soon change: “We have a Skype version for Mac OS X 10.5 users which will soon be available for download.” No additional timing details are available as of yet, but it’s good to know that Leopard users will soon be able to go back to making Skype calls and sending messages as normal.
We’re also told that this new download will be for Leopard users only, so anyone on OS X 10.4 Tiger or below will need to upgrade to Leopard or something newer (like Mavericks) in order to keep on using the Microsoft-owned communications tool.
Today, Skype tells us that the group video calling feature will be coming to all of its mobile platforms in the future, which likely includes iOS and Android:
We’re excited about Skype group video calling and are working to bring it to more of our platforms. In the future, we’ll be enabling group video calling for all our users across more platforms – at no cost
Unfortunately, the company could not yet provide a more specific rollout timeframe. Skype has been rapidly releasing new products over the past several months, with a major redesign of the Skype iPhone app arriving a couple of months ago.
Skype rolled out a major redesign from the ground up to its iPhone app last month with feature improvements like in-app banner notifications and greatly improved message statuses across versions of the software, but regular Skype users were quick to note that the update initially lacked support for voice messages. Voice messages simply could not be accessed from the iPhone version. When Skype released version 5.1 quickly after the initial launch, users voiced more concerns that the feature was still absent with the only solution being to access voice messages on another platform using Skype.
Today in a blog post, Microsoft has announced that Skype 5.2 adds the useful feature back to the iPhone version of the app with voice messages showing up in line from other users. In addition to voice message support returning, the latest version also adds a new way to view contact information and add contacts into existing message threads. Expand Expanding Close
Skype may have recently launched a major update to its Skype for iPhone app, but one rather basic feature went missing – the ability to listen to voice messages. A subsequent update to Skype for iPhone 5.1 still hasn’t fixed the problem.
In a support thread on the Skype site, community manager Claudius provided what must qualify as one of the most unhelpful response ever to complaints by users:
Voice message playback is not supported in Skype 5.0 for iPhone. Please use Skype on another platform to listen to your voice messages …
Skype has announced that it will discontinue support for older versions of its desktop clients, including Skype for Mac.” An exact date for the change hasn’t been given, but the company says it will happen “over the next few months.” Mobile clients like Skype for iPhone won’t be affected by the change.
The specific versions being phased out are 6.14 and older (the current version is 6.18). The change is being made to ensure feature compatibility across the versions of the software in use and enable the developers to continue building on that foundation. The current version of Skype offers several features not provided in older versions, such as the option to send messages to offline users.
You can now delete a conversation from the recent list with a long press on recents. You can also edit messages you’ve recently sent with a long press on the message. (Just as you can long press on an individual message to delete it.)
Tap the “add favorites” link to easily fill your favorites screen with the people you contact the most.
The People list now matches the desktop better: we have added the “Skype” filter; the “online” filter now includes users set to online, away and do not disturb; and best of all your filter settings are saved.
We showed you an early behind-the-scenes look at Skype’s major update to its iPhone app including an interview earlier this week, and today Microsoft says that update will officially roll out to users. In fact, a few people are able to download/update it now, while others are still getting the “not available” as of this writing.
On June 9, we announced that an update to Skype for iPhone was on the way, and today it’s time to try it out for yourself: Skype 5.0 for iPhone has arrived! We were excited to use your feedback to remaster the app around you, to help you connect with your friends and family simply and quickly.
Earlier this week, Skype pulled its previous version from the App Store in anticipation of its major new release. Microsoft says Skype 5.0 for iPhone is rolling out today and the new version is already available for many users via the App Store now.
Update: Skype has offered the following statement below.
Today we announced Skype 5.0 for iPhone is available for download. We understand some users are having problems downloading the app while it populates in the Apple App Store. We’re sorry about the delay, but don’t worry – you’ll be able to try the new version very soon. In the meantime, you can learn about the great new features coming with Skype 5.0 for iPhone here.
You may have noticed Skype for iPhone/iPod touch disappear from the App Store in select markets today. Skype tells us that the reason is preparations for the upcoming 5.0 update. Here’s the statement:
We have removed the Skype for iPhone app from the Apple iTunes store in some markets, as we begin rolling out the latest version. Skype 5.0 for iPhone will soon be available worldwide for download – in the meantime, you can learn about the great new features coming with the new version here.
A few years ago, Skype was the rockstar of the messaging world, but now with smartphones and mobile messaging apps like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and iMessage, Skype’s iPhone feature-set and application have begun to stagnate. However, the Skype development team has not been standing still. The Microsoft-owned company is revealing today that it is nearing the launch of a completely revamped Skype application for the iPhone and iPod touch. I met with lead Skype designer Guilherme Schneider last week for an exclusive preview and an interview regarding the new software, and the application certainly seems impressive…
You may recall Skype debuted a very useful (and social) feature for Mac way back in 2010: group video calling. Specifically, the feature was in a public beta stage with widespread testing thus carried a price tag of $0 with idea being it would eventually be a paid feature when the service was stable enough. Fast forward a few months to 2011 and Skype rolled the feature out to its official version of the app for Mac and put a price tag on it. As you can imagine, as the price of entry went above nothing, free alternative services including Google’s Hangouts video calling emerged. Three years later, the Microsoft-owned company is back in the business of bringing multiple faces together over video forfree (hooray!) as today it announced group video calling for everyone at no cost… again. Expand Expanding Close
The latest version of Skype for iPhone adds support for two-way HD video calls (for iPhone 5 and later), and receipt of chat messages on the lockscreen even when the app is closed.
Microsoft also says that chat messages will sync more rapidly across devices.
IM + Pro 7,a feature-rich messenger app, has been redesigned to reflect iOS 7’s user-interface style. Today’s update also adds several new features and become a universal app for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.
It allows users free texting, sending photos, videos and voice messages. It supports a dozen IM services including Skype, Facebook, Twitter DM, AIM, iChat, ICQ, MSN, LiveMessenger, Jabber, Yahoo, Google Talk, and MySpace. It supports Group Chats in Skype, AIM, ICQ and Neighbors.
New features include setting up multiple accounts per service, typing notifications, iCloud sync and beep mobile-to-mobile messenger alerts. If you forget your iOS device at home, you are always able to log on from a computer using their website. IM + Pro 7 is available in the App Store for $4.99.
