Microsoft Recommends All Customers Upgrade to Skype 8 With Skype 7 Set to Be Sunset in September

[MacRumors]

Microsoft today highlighted Skype 8 and recommended that customers upgrade to the new software as the company plans to retire Skype 7, aka Skype classic, later this year.

Skype 8 includes free HD video and screensharing calls with up to 24 people, reaction options for messages in conversations and @mentions to get someone's attention in a group chat, a chat media gallery for viewing photos and links, customizable themes, a notification panel, and options to share photos, videos, and files over Skype that are up to 300MB in size.

In the future, Microsoft plans to add additional features that include read receipts, private conversations with end-to-end encryption, call recording, profile invites, and group links for initiating a call with multiple people. Skype 8 features are also rolling out on the iPad starting today.

Microsoft is encouraging all Skype users to update to the new 8.0 version of the software as earlier versions of Skype will stop working on September 1, 2018. Microsoft says it is discontinuing older versions of Skype in order to provide the best possible Skype experience with no quality or reliability issues.

Note: A previous version of this post listed the 8.0 update as new, due to the fact that Microsoft published a blog post announcing it as new this morning. Our readers have pointed out that Skype 8 has been available for some time, with 8.25 listed as the current version of the software.

Article Link: Microsoft Recommends All Customers Upgrade to Skype 8 With Skype 7 Set to Be Sunset in September

 

[Sharkoneau]

Am I missing something? I’m on Mac and have been running version 8.25.0.5 for about two or three weeks now. Skype is showing no updates available.

 

[fokmik]

i dont get it...i have skype 8.25 for weeks...and skype 8 for months on my mac

 

[Chrjy]

Releases version 8.0?
I just checked my version of the app on my MacBook and I seem to be running 8.25.0.5?

 

[sequential]

8.0 have been out for months already. In fact I'm on 8.25.0.5.

 

[Chrjy]

Yep I just went to their website and downloaded the .dmg which states 8.25.0.5.... nothing new here.

 

[rictus007]

Wow I was Not aware that people where still using Skype .... I though it was just me and few other friends

 

[Chrjy]

Wow I was Not aware that people where still using Skype .... I though it was just me and few other friends

Are you kidding?

 

[macintoshmac]

What's with the bot, MR? Is it okay? 8.25 versus 8.0?

 

[cocky jeremy]

No thanks, NSA.

 

[jclo]

Am I missing something? I’m on Mac and have been running version 8.25.0.5 for about two or three weeks now. Skype is showing no updates available.

Thanks for all the comments here, guys. I've updated the post. We're not big Skype users and didn't realize Skype 8 was already available (and updated to 8.25!). I'm not sure why Microsoft posted Skype 8.0 as new today, other than to highlight the upcoming discontinuation of Skype 7, so I've reworded the post. Appreciate all the info

 

[Soba]

Whether this release is news or not, Skype is still REALLY terrible.

Thanks for wrecking what was once a great product, MS!

 

[ikir]

Whether this release is news or not, Skype is still REALLY terrible.

Thanks for wrecking what was once a great product, MS!

Yep, already deleted on my mobile devices, I will keep Mac version for a while since I need for just one work contact...

 

[amaze1499]

Thanks for all the comments here, guys. I've updated the post. We're not big Skype users and didn't realize Skype 8 was already available (and updated to 8.25!). I'm not sure why Microsoft posted Skype 8.0 as new today, other than to highlight the upcoming discontinuation of Skype 7, so I've reworded the post. Appreciate all the info

sounds resonable...

 

[insanemccain]

Ugh, I really dislike the new version of Skype 8 for Mac. I actually downgraded back to 7.58 (last before 8.0 release) and disabled updates. I can't believe their term'ing their 7.X client versions in September....

 

[Bustycat]

The cross-platform sync of Skype is horrible. It did deliver some messages much later and caused some misunderstandings with my friend.

 

[JosephAW]

Sun-setting another version again? No thank you. I was fine with version 2.8 on my G5, then with the secret PRISM / Govmnt MS deal revealed they had to drop older versions in order to change the new internal reflector servers instead of the secure horizon servers/clients.
What MacOS are they dropping support for now in order to force users to upgrade their MacOS and iOS with new hardware?

 

[Dranix]

Would love using Skype 8, but the annoying bad spellchecking that can't be deactivated hinders me at updating 8(

 

[supremedesigner]

If you’re past v8 then you’re fine. If v7 or under, time to upgrade.

 

[Dranix]

Sadly can't do this. Skype 8 is useless in a multi language environment 8(

 

[m_emelchenkov]

From my experience, if a person asks me to call via Skype, it is always a bad sign. It stops working good several years ago, why someone want to support its agony?

 

[Dranix]

Sadly many people stick to it. I would love to migrate them all to Line, but Skype feed from it's good times...

 

[fairuz]

Well, if Skype is so bad, someone oughtta replace it. I agree plenty of things about it suck, but it fills a necessary use case.

Skype's calls are more reliable than FaceTime's. FaceTime doesn't seem to tolerate the inevitably unreliable or not-super-fast connections people have. I do lots of video calls with friends and family, and I've had to get frequent video callers using Skype after too many insanely laggy FaceTime calls. Audio is less bad but still isn't as good as it should be, and any drop is even more problematic than with video because you can't tell whether the other person is silent or lagging.

[Edit: Sorry if anyone quotes me here cause I'm redoing what I said about alternatives] Facebook Messenger would be an alternative if it weren't weird to use with non-friends. And Discord is great for audio-only but hard to sell sometimes since it's meant for videogamers (but works for general use), plus the video feature kinda sucks if that's what you need.
[doublepost=1531781006][/doublepost]

Sun-setting another version again? No thank you. I was fine with version 2.8 on my G5, then with the secret PRISM / Govmnt MS deal revealed they had to drop older versions in order to change the new internal reflector servers instead of the secure horizon servers/clients.
What MacOS are they dropping support for now in order to force users to upgrade their MacOS and iOS with new hardware?

Sounds like you should really drop Skype if that's the case instead using an old one. Using an old client isn't going to guarantee much about the servers. If anything you're sticking out more as someone hiding something.

 

[Neepman]

Skype was great as in "was". The interface gets worse and worse but the calls seem stable once you are connected. Facetime seems to always get choppy no matter what the bandwith is after a few minutes.

 

[groovyd]

Have they fixed the issue where you could not change the ringer volume or mute it at all? Until this is fixed I won't upgrade to 8 and if it isn't fixed before they sunset then I will drop my subscription and phone number with them. I can't have my laptop blaring out audio at all times of the night whenever a spam call comes in. Thankfully on iOs notifications can be disabled and the ringer sound can be changed.

Have to admit the first time I tried upgrading I did like the new dark theme but couldn't stand all the pop-ups trying to tutor you as you go that seemed to never end.