Skype is getting a redesign, this time with news articles. The messaging app is set to release a new update on Wednesday that includes new features and improvements. The update will include a new chat interface that looks more like a news article, as well as bug fixes. It’s unclear how much of the redesign will be based on user feedback, and how much will be created by the company itself. Skype has been struggling to keep up with the competition in recent years. Its user base has shrunk in recent years as people have moved to other messaging apps such as WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger.
Even though Microsoft Teams is the company’s favorite messaging service right now, Skype is still alive and receiving occasional updates. Today, Microsoft revealed an all-new look for the mobile version.
Skype is Microsoft’s long-running messaging service for personal use (read: not large companies), with support for audio and video calls, meetings with links, group and single text chats, and apps on all major platforms. However, it hasn’t received much attention over the past few years, outside of a partial redesign in August 2021. Now the mobile apps are receiving another makeover, with a greater focus on colors.
Microsoft wrote in a blog post, “the theme colors have been updated from last year’s release, and we’ve added additional color options so you can choose your very own favorite color on light and dark theme for Skype.” The video call interface has been revamped to match the desktop app more closely, and call stability and performance has been improved.
Unfortunately, it seems we can’t get a Skype redesign without something becoming worse. In 2017, that was ‘Highlights,’ a clone of Snapchat/Instagram Stories that was finally removed in 2018. This time around, Microsoft is adding news articles — possibly to generate revenue for Microsoft and pay the Skype server bills, like the recommended articles on the Microsoft Edge home page.
The blog post explains, “introducing the ‘Today’ tab on Skype… where we seamlessly integrate personalized articles and news stories from trusted sources all over the world for you to read and share right inside of Skype. And the best part is, you do not need a subscription for any of it!”
Thankfully, it seems like the articles will be easy to ignore, as they’re limited to the ‘Today’ tab. The update should start rolling out soon, if it hasn’t already.
Source: Microsoft
