14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft has recently announced that it would retire Skype Classic on November 1, and the company used this occasion to also share more details on the update roadmap for the service.
The software giant provided new info on the features that it is working on right now, but also on the improvements that will be developed once these features are complete.
First and foremost, Microsoft wants Skype to come with substantial performance improvements, show the version on the sign-in screen, and provide easy access to a keyboard shortcuts guide. Once these are ready, Microsoft will continue the focus on performance, but also bring a resizable left pane on the desktop and launch swipe actions on mobile.
There are major updates in the messaging department that Microsoft is currently working on, including options to find within the current conversation, change font size, share a Skype contact, and save audio files as MP3. Afterward, Microsoft plans to developer SMS connect for Skype.
Calling improvements
For calling, the company prepares settings for a secondary ringing device, advanced webcam settings, and separate Skype volume control on Mac. At some point in the future, Skype could also get an indicator for who is talking in large calls and come with easier switch between cameras.
Microsoft is also preparing some refinements for the Windows 10 version of Skype, and it all starts with an app icon in the system tray and improved copy-paste to dialpad. A future update would also bring split view, Microsoft says, which would be particularly useful on tablets.
The next version of Skype will be updated with improved availability status, options to add a phone number as a contact, and settings to allow Skype to Skype calls only from contacts.
As usual, there’s no specific timeline for all these improvements, but given that some are already in development, it may not take too long before they are introduced. Plans, however, could change overnight if something doesn’t go exactly as planned.