Until 2020, Skype was one of the biggest names in video conferencing. Now, the telecommunications app – now held by Zoom – is hoping to claw its way back to the top with a new look and improved features.
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“We’ve listened carefully to your feedback, and many of the changes are based on your suggestions,” according to a post from the company, which outlined more than a dozen current and upcoming changes. Those little boxes we’ve all been staring at for 18 months are getting an upgrade. Featuring new layouts and “beautiful theming,” Skype’s call stage has been modernized and made more comprehensive — starting with your own face in the main view.
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“We’ve also adjusted the way video feeds are transformed into a more natural grid, and no one will ever be left alone in the top tray again because we’re bringing you all together,” the blog said. All participants (even those with their cameras turned off) are visible on the calling stage, and larger video feeds mean better visibility when someone is sharing their screen or running Together Mode.
Users, meanwhile, can still hide audio-only participants from the calling stage – or just enjoy their new colorful backdrops. Skype is replacing their gray squares with more playful images – the same ones it uses as background replacements during calls. Also look for upgraded chat headers as part of a new layout, a more balanced left panel, more than 140 easy-to-use icons and customizable themes in a rainbow of color options.
Skype made it easier to chat quickly with the introduction of Meet Now, a tool that lets anyone join calls via a link — no app required. The “Meet Now lobby” has been redesigned to be “lighter, easier to use, and much more beautiful.”.
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Skype is also rolling out the second-shot TwinCam feature, customizable notification sounds, an emoji reaction picker, and Skype Universal Translator for communicating in any language on a landline or video call. And these new features and new look should work in your browser, whether it's Edge, Chrome, Safari, Firefox , or Opera.
Information source: pcmag.com
