Microsoft is rolling out an updated version of Skype for Android, one that is optimized for devices running older versions of the operating system, providing better audio and video quality for lower-performance devices.
The new update will optimize Skype for Android devices running versions 4.0.3 to 5.1. Microsoft says this version is “lighter in both disk space and memory consumption” and will provide better audio and video for these devices, in addition to better performance when the connection is not as good. The update will be released globally in the coming weeks.
The approach is similar to what Google is doing with Android Go, a lighter version of Android that doesn't require as much processing power, RAM, or storage. These are phones designed to work in areas with limited internet connectivity and come with apps designed to work with such limited specs.
This isn't the first messaging app to go this route: Facebook launched Messenger Lite for Android last October, which cuts out some of the clutter from the regular app, while Twitter introduced a Lite version of its mobile website that uses less data in September. The focus on apps and websites that require less data and performance is useful around the world, especially in places where the latest phone models are either unavailable or unaffordable.
