We-ve just released a new version of Skype for Mac, removing the beta label and introducing group video calling as part of our Premium package, as well as a number of user interface and other improvements. Download it now, or read on to find out more.
First, I-d like to say thank you to all of you who sent us feedback on the beta, particularly the positive feedback on group video calling. It-s now available as part of our Premium package, that also includes live chat customer support. You can try it out for free for 7 days, and then purchase either a day pass starting at $4.99 (?3.49/£2.99)* or as a monthly subscription for $8.99 (?5.99/£4.99)* per month. New users receive a 7-day free trial.
As a result of that feedback, we-ve been able to make a number of improvements in the latest version. The video above has all the details. We-re also excited to announce a competition to recognise your own designs for chat styles – find out more and register your interest.
Something we heard loud and clear was that you felt that the app was too big – whether it was the window size, contact list, or the way instant messages were displayed. The good news is that we-ve slimmed things down a bit in the new version, trimming pixels and realigning things to make the app altogether more compact.
We-ve reduced the minimum window size, so that those of you who prefer to keep Skype to one side of your screen, for example, can do that more easily. We-ve also tightened up the contact list, so that you can see 30% more contacts at once. We-ve reduced the amount of whitespace in the sidebar too.
In addition, we-ve tweaked the way instant messages are displayed to reduce the amount of whitespace, allowing you to see more of your conversations without scrolling.
The contacts monitor is a great way to keep track of your closest friends, or your team at work, and in this version we-ve made it much easier to find – it-s in the Window menu.
You-ll be happy to know that we-ve brought back full screen mode in video calls. When you-re in a call, click the button to switch to full screen mode, and click it again to return the call to the Skype window.
It-s also easier to chat while you-re on a call – again, just click the button to reveal the chat panel, and click it again to hide.
Thank you again for all of your feedback. These improvements should help make the Skype experience on the Mac even better. Of course, we continue to welcome your feedback, and please leave a comment below, or use the Give Feedback option in the app and it-ll end up in our inboxes – there will be regular updates and we value your thoughts.
* Pricing is VAT exclusive. Pricing inclusive of VAT for a day pass is $5.74 (?4.01/£3.44) and for a monthly subscription $10.34 (?6.89/£5.74). A fair usage policy applies.
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