This week Skype announced a number of new features and fixes which will become available to Skype users on Android. Some of the fixes are already rolling out, while others are in the pipeline and are due to go live in the “coming months.” What may be of more importance to some Skype users though, is that this announcement confirms the reintroduction of some features that had recently been removed.
Last month Skype announced a fairly substantial overhaul to the service, one which not only looked to improve the functionality, but also modernize the design. However, as part of that major update, some features were removed. One of the most notable features that disappeared was the ability to see when other Skype users were online. Following the update, users could still view this information but had to click on a specific user first. Something which did not seem to go down well with some users, which has led to Skype announcing the reintroduction of this feature. As a result, Skype has confirmed that ‘status display’ on the home screen will be returning. As will the ability to share content from other apps in Skype chats. Skype specifically notes that it has been listening to user feedback and the reintroduction of these features (and fixes) are a result of that listening.
Speaking of which, Skype has confirmed that recent updates have already brought with them fixes to the ability to delete contacts and conversations, as well as fixes for multitasking and notifications. As for the completely new features, Skype has announced that the ability to personalize Skype will be improved through the introduction of a greater selection of themes and color options. Likewise, the user interface in general will see a ‘legibility update’ for improved navigation. While Skype has yet to confirm exact dates for when these new and reintroduced features will become available, the Skype Android app on the Google Play Store is listing an update dated July 14. So those interested in any of these features may want to install the update as and when it reaches their device, if it has not already.
