Skype 5.11

It feels like Skype has been around forever. Most of the people I know who use Skype are well into their mid 30s, but that doesn’t mean youngsters don’t get on it. In fact, it quite likely the most widely-used cross-platform calling tool in the world.

Skype reborn

Thanks to a recent update from the Microsoft-owned Skype Communications, Skype on iPhone has never looked this good. The instant you launch the app it splashes your screen with luscious animations, background demos and videos that give you a quick tour of everything you’re going to experience.

Swiping between favorites, recents and people is like taking a stroll in the park. The UI is on the move constantly, but you never lose track of where you are. From a visual standpoint, Skype on iPhone is simply breathtaking.

The dialer recently received a facelift and they've added a new feature as the app can tell who you want to call just as you're typing in the phone number. Similarly, the chat picker looks fresh too and you can easily pick the ones you want to chat with from there; just tap the chat icon and choose the contact.

Easy to set up and use

The setup process is simple and straightforward, and you can get up and running in under one minute using nothing but an email address. You can look up people to call by their Skype name (if you know any), their email address, or via a simple name search that will bring up everyone Skype knows with that particular name.

The IM feature is exactly what you’d expect, and the emoticons are really lovely. File sharing and voice messaging are two-tap affairs. You can even send video messages, thanks to a recent update.

The video calling feature is by far the most important reason why people download and use Skype on their various devices. We’ll be the first to admit that the experience is less than stellar. Despite video calling being Skype’s main trait, it’s also the one that comes with a lot of caveats: pixelated choppy video feed, hangs and freezes even on the fastest WiFi networks, and poor sound quality. FaceTime can knock the socks off Skype any day of the week.

But Skype gets the job done nonetheless, and you can track your usage, including minutes to mobiles and landlines, SMS messages, and minutes of Skype WIFI.

The Skype app takes advantage of the interactive notification area in iOS 8. For instance, you’ll be able to answer or decline audio and video calls straight from the notification center, from banner notifications. Similar actions are available for the incoming messages.

Additional information regarding the number of contacts and time zones are displayed on contact profiles, while individual conversations can be marked as read or unread.

On iPad, Skype simply looks a lot bigger. Thanks to the big working space, some features are constantly embedded in the interface, and require fewer swipes and taps to get to them. Overall it’s the same experience, only spread out on a bigger canvas.

Add to watchlist:

VoIPVideo chatInstant messengerChat

• Wire 1.5
• Viber 5.2.2
• WeChat 6.1.1
• Hangouts 3.1.0
• Kik 8.1.0
• Strings 1.0.7

Portable version:

• Skype for Windows Phone
• Skype for Android