Microsoft has released a new desktop app for Skype, its chat and video call application. With the new app, that is available for Windows, Mac and Linux, users can participate and record video calls with up to 24 users in HD.
When a user uses the recording feature, all participants in the call receive a notification that the call is being recorded. All videos are stored in the cloud and all video of all participants of the conversation are recorded, no matter on what device they use Skype.
The new version also allows video calls in the 1080p resolution. Previously, video calls with Skype were only possible in the 480p resolution. Microsoft has also added the possibility to share screens in the new Skype app. With the feature it's possible for desktop users to share files, images and videos on their screen with their conversation partner.
In text chat, users can grab the attention of a specific user in a group chat with mentions by prepending an @ to the username. This is similar to mentions on e.g. Twitter or Slack.
Microsoft has also the increased the maximum size of files that can be transferred through Skype to 300MB. In the new Skype version, shared images, files and links are grouped together in a history overview to make it easy to find them back later.
Other new features are Private Conversations, where text chats and video calls are encrypted using the Signal protocol and Read Receipts that show which users have read your message in group chats.
Download the new Skype desktop app (version 8.0) from the Skype website.
