Microsoft launches Skype version 8.0 for desktop

Microsoft’s well-known and well-used video call and chat application, Skype, just received an update today. Well, it’s desktop counterpart that is.

The company just rolled out version 8.0 for Skype desktop, which will replace Skype 7.0, also known as Skype Classic. Microsoft also announced the end of support for Classic on September 1, 2018 and is urging users to upgrade to 8.0.

Skype 8.0 brings the following new features, apart from general performance improvements and bug fixes.

• Free HD video and screensharing calls—Get together with 1 or 24 of your friends, families, or colleagues no matter what device they use Skype on. See everyone in high definition, view 1080px video, and share things together.
• More productive messaging—Express how you’re feeling by reacting to messages in conversations. Use @mentions to easily grab someone’s attention in a group chat. Simply type the @symbol followed by their name to trigger a notification for them. You can easily find all your @mentions and get back to people in the notification center.
• Chat media gallery—Looking for the link or photo sent a few weeks ago? Chat media gallery makes it easy to find files, links, and photos that were shared in a conversation, whether it was yesterday or last month. No more scrolling through your chat history—just click Gallery under the chat name to see all the files, links, and photos in the conversation.
• Share photos, videos, and other files—Share up to 300 MB at a time over Skype just by dragging and dropping files into your conversation window.

For more information about the new features and changes to version 8.0, check this link out.