14 DAY TRIAL // Skype has gone through a major transformation process that turned the app from a classic VoIP client to a more interactive instant messenger, but it’s no secret that Android and iPhone users haven’t actually received this makeover very well.
Instead, the new Skype UI has been severely criticized by many mobile users, with app store ratings dropping significantly after the first versions were released earlier this year.
And now Microsoft is trying to fix the blunder, and the first attempt is aimed at iPhone users who are allowed to try out a refined design as part of the Insider program starting with version 8.7.76.54000.
One of the most notable changes coming to the iPhone is the return of the navigation bar, a feature that many users actually asked for after being removed.
The new bar will include shortcuts to essential features like chats, calls, capture, highlights, and contacts. Furthermore, Microsoft is adding numeric badges in the navigation bar for chats, calls, and highlights, and this is a feature that iPhone users certainly love since it’s available across the entire operating system as well.
Skype easier to use on smaller iPhones
Additionally, the new version also introduces an updated notification screen, which can easily be accessed by tapping the bell icon on the chats, calls, highlights, and contacts screens, while tapping the avatar opens the profile.
There are also usability improvements, and at first glance, they’re more than welcome especially for users whose iPhones have a screen of 4.7 inches or smaller. For instance, the chat headers have been reduced substantially, which means you get to see more messages at once, while the compose bar has been redesigned and emoticons and emojis were combined for easier use.
Keep in mind, however, that all of these are changes that Microsoft is only experimenting with for the time being, and there is no guarantee that they’ll all make public builds of the app. On the good side, they are all living proof that the company has heard the feedback, so sooner or later some changes to the Skype app should certainly be made.