Windows 10: Microsoft’s Skype 8 is now rolling out to more users globally

We had earlier reported that Microsoft will be ending support for its Classic Skype app on the desktop this fall. The company is now rolling out the new Skype version 8 to more users globally. The rollout was announced by Peter Skillman, Director of Design for Skype and Outlook yesterday on his official Twitter account.

The latest Skype version 8 comes with some new built-in features like the Call Recording and more. The company has also added many new features and accessibility improvements to Skype 8.

The new Skype update will now show the Skype version on sign in screen. The Skype team has also added a new setting for a secondary ringing device along with bringing some advanced webcam settings.

We are now upgrading more users to Skype 8. Based on your feedback we added: Show Skype version on sign-in screen
Setting for a secondary ringing device
Advanced webcam settings
Separate Skype volume control on Mac
Setting for incoming call notifications for Do Not Disturb mode

— peter skillman (@peterskillman) November 2, 2018
​

The team has also added a new setting for incoming call notification when the Skype users have activated the Do Not Disturb Mode. Users will now be able to Mute or remove participants in a group call along with hiding conversations from the chat list.

There is a new setting added to change the text size on the desktop and the global conversation search now shows more than 20 results. A new setting can now be found to “Enter” or “Return” to send message or add a line and also disable link previews.

Microsoft has also made some improvements to the Drag and drop file sharing option along with improving the availability status on desktop. Users can now add a phone number as a contact without having to save the name for the particular number.

Microsoft has also announced that it is working on bringing the Skype 8 on feature parity with the Skype Classic app. Skype was recently updated to support split view and Microsoft says it is working on several other features that should be added to the app soon.

The post Microsoft’s Skype 8 is now rolling out to more users globally appeared first on Windows Latest

Weiterlesen...

 

Microsoft to Acquire Skype for Over $8 billion

In what is turning out to be the mother of all tech acquisitions, Microsoft is working towards acquiring IP telephony giant Skype Technologies for nearly US $8 billion, the deal could be announced later today, according to the Wall Street Journal. The Skype acquisition will give Microsoft increased traction in the consumer market, as part of the company's efforts to provide more web-based convergence services. The deal could be the most significant development after Bing, a polished successor of MSN Search.

Skype is the company that propagated web-based telephony, which threatened to make conventional telephony obsolete. Founded in 2003, the company has 663 million registered users, including 8.8 million with paid accounts. In 2005, it was sold to Ebay for $2.6 billion, after which Ebay sold 70% of its shares to private investors by 2009. Microsoft is in the foray to acquire the company and its debt in a deal that can see up to $8.5 billion changing hands.

Source: Wall Street Journal

 

Skype Now Available as a Snap for Linux Users

So linux users can now have the Skype Experence*Roll :roll:*Roll :roll:

 

Microsoft to Acquire Skype for Over $8 billion

I think that $8.5 billion is a bargain for M$. It almost makes sense only based on the 8.8 million paid subscriptions. The monthly subscription varies between $10 and $20, so that should be 1.2 billion to 2.4 billion revenue a year, only based on paid subscriptions.

- That's not taking into account the incredible growth rate that Skype has seen in the last 5 years (around +20% each year), which will only continue to grow, more so under Microsoft's hood.
- That's not taking into account the potential pay-for-use revenue derivated from those 660 million registered users. Just think that for every $1 spent on average, we'd be talking about $660 million revenue increase at the end of the year.

I'm very well aware that my numbers are way off from the real revenue numbers that Skype has seen, and that Skype has been losing money for the most part, but there's a lot of potential for a company like Microsoft to attain good revenue from Skype. Skype has not been able to extract anything close to $1 average per user, IMO M$ (or Facebook) easily could. Also overlapping resources and infraestructures should massively reduce operating costs and make Skype pay for itself in say 5-10 years. Again that's only based on current growth, without taking into account that Skype could boom under M$ hands.

All things considered, Skype surely looks like a much much better deal for M$, than Youtube was for Google or Ati was for AMD.