Microsoft is seemingly refusing to let go of Skype, even as Teams has clearly become the focus of its communication efforts. The company has just announced another major redesign for Skype, a little over a year since the last big visual refresh, introducing more colorful themes and illustrations. There are also some new features in tow.

First things first, this new version of Skype comes with a completely refreshed visual experience, and it actually looks very nice. You'll now see a colorful header with a variety of themes to choose from, which work in both light and dark modes. You'll see these colors more prominently throughout the app, where they used to be mostly visible in chats. There are also colorful illustrations seen during the setup process, which make things a bit more lively. Microsoft is also introducing new contrast themes for accessibility, so the app is even more usable for low-vision users.

Additionally, the calling experience on mobile is also being refreshed to match what was introduced for desktops a year ago. You'll be able to see the call stage in light theme, instead of always seeing a black background. The video call layout will also adjust automatically to how many people are in the call., and Microsoft says it's making it easier to have all the call controls at hand during a call.

A screenshot of the call stage on the Skype mobile app next to video feeds from other users, representing the app's ability to adapt the layout as more users enable video

Another big update for calls is support for real-time translation. Skype can already translate audio and text for users in a chat, but in the near future, Microsoft is also adding a feature where the real-time audio translation actually sounds like your own voice.

Finally, Skype is getting a Today tab on the home screen, which is going to be a new way to show you news directly within the app, which also makes it easier to share them with your contacts. You can personalize your news feed by choosing your preferred topics, too.

Screenshot of the Today tab in the Skype mobile app showing a news feed and a full screen view for news headlines, as well as an article view

Microsoft hasn't specified when the update will be available, though it doesn't look like it's available to everyone just yet.

What's most interesting about this is, like we said at the start, the fact that Microsoft is still supporting Skype at all. The company launched Teams years ago, and it's clearly where its biggest efforts are. With Windows 11, Teams is built right in with the Chat feature, and it's meant for personal use, too. In fact, Skype isn't preinstalled with Windows 11 anymore, so it's strange to see so much effort put into redesigning Skype, especially considering Teams itself (the personal version, at least) doesn't get major updates that often.

Most recently, Microsoft launched the Communities feature in Teams, which makes it easier for organizations and associations to manage communication and events among members. It's just strange to see these two apps being supported with different features and additions, when it's clear that Teams is Microsoft's end goal. It would arguably be better for everyone if all these efforts were focused on the same app, but it looks like Skype is here to stay, even if it's only for a few remaining diehard fans.


Source: Microsoft