14 DAY TRIAL // Redmond-based software giant Microsoft today announced several new improvements for Skype users relying on a Microsoft account to chat with friends, claiming that the whole experience can be a lot better if they decide to use the same credentials for all their services.
Starting today, all users who sign up on Skype.com can use a Microsoft account to register, which means that you can now connect with the other services offered by the Redmond-based tech giant even easier.
“As we shared earlier this year, if you are using other Microsoft devices or services like Xbox, OneDrive or Outlook.com, you already have a Microsoft account, which is the email and password you use to sign in. And, of course, if you’ve signed up for a Microsoft account, you can use it to sign in to Skype on your mobile device. Alternatively, new users can still register for Skype with a Facebook account,” Pierre-Eric Jacoupy of the Skype team said in a post today.
Of course, all those who are already Skype users can still benefit from great features thanks to a Microsoft account, including two-step verification to make sure that all their information is fully protected, enhanced password recovery experience to reset passwords using codes sent by SMS or email and less details to remember since the first credentials can be used to log in to all Microsoft services.
Skype has slowly become an essential product for Microsoft, especially because the company has made it the default messaging app on Windows 8.1 after it decided to discontinue the old Windows Live Messenger.
At this point, Skype is available in the traditional version that can be loaded on the desktop, but also in the Metro UI that’s currently available to Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 users exclusively.
Both versions are receiving updates on a regular basis, but the Modern build still needs significant improvements in order to offer the same feature package as the desktop counterpart.
At the same time, Skype is also available on a number of other platforms, including Android, iOS, and BlackBerry, which means that you can chat with your friends on the go using just a Microsoft account.
The same account can be used for a wide array of products provided by Microsoft, including Outlook.com, Bing, Xbox, OneDrive, Office, and even Windows 8.1 if you decide to log in with a Microsoft account and synchronize data across devices such as tablets and PCs.