New Look Windows 8 Skype Has A Metro Feel

A Windows 8 Skype version has surfaced on the net, and is impressing people with its “Metro” look and feel.

The next version of Skype could be bundled with Windows 8, as new owner Microsoft gets its teeth into integrating the Internet phone application with its other products, so how it looks and how it works is going to matter.  News site Neowin got its hands on a preview of the forthcoming version of Skype designed for Windows 8, and found it is already very reliable, and has a strikingly different look – which fits nicely into Microsoft’s ‘Metro’ design.

Skype takes the Metro

“We conducted several calls with one and multi-person chats with little issue,” said Neowin’s Brad Sams. “The UI is fluid and dare we say fast too.”

The site found the application did not crash, and allowed users to switch easily between voice and text chat.

Since Microsoft bought Skype in 2011 for $8.5 billion (£5.5bn), it has treated it gently, although it has been expected to integrate it more closely with other Microsoft products including Windows and Internet Explorer. The introduction of a “modern” look and feel brings Skype very much in line with the look and feel of the forthcoming Windows 8 version – which is nearing delivery as the RTM (release to manufacturing version) is now available for developers.

Microsoft has also been expected to look for new ways to make money from the loss-making VoIP service. However, its move to place adverts in Skype calls has been greeted with dismay. This being a preview version, the implementation of adverts in the new Skype can’t be seen yet, and remains a point of some concern.

“Considering how well polished this application is, we fully expect that it will be released by Microsoft in the very near future,” concludes Sams.

How much do you know about Skype? Try our quiz!

Peter Judge

Peter Judge has been involved with tech B2B publishing in the UK for many years, working at Ziff-Davis, ZDNet, IDG and Reed. His main interests are networking security, mobility and cloud

View Comments

Recent Posts

Intel Adds Two Chip Veterans To Board, Amid Search For New CEO

Two chip veterans named for Intel's board of directors, amid reports of expertise gap after…

19 hours ago

Waymo To Expand Ride-Hailing Service To Miami

Another major city in the United States is to receive Alphabet's Waymo ride-hailing service, with…

20 hours ago

Meta To Spend $10 Billion On Largest Data Centre To Date

Facebook parent confirms its 23rd data centre in the US will be located in Louisiana,…

1 day ago

Musk’s Neuralink Animal Lab Cited For ‘Objectionable Conditions’

Federal regulator reportedly cites animal lab at Elon Musk's Neuralink for “objectionable conditions or practices”

2 days ago

Trump Nominates Cryptocurrency Advocate Paul Atkins As SEC Chair

President-elect Donald Trump nominates a new chairman to head the SEC, who is a noted…

2 days ago