Microsoft today announced (opens in new tab) that it will retire "Skype Classic" for desktop (version 7.0) on September 1. In its place, all Skype users will be forced to upgrade to version 8.0 (opens in new tab) by that date to continue using Skype for dekstop.
From Microsoft:
As we roll out improvements, there comes a time when we must shut down older services and application versions. This is done to ensure that all customers have the best possible Skype experience, and that there are no quality or reliability issues resulting from old technology and new technology interoperating. We know change can be hard, so we're working to make the update as simple as possible.
Skype version 8.0 is revamped with several new features, and Microsoft has more planned for future releases. The new features include the ability to add reactions to messages, @mentions, and a chat media gallery. You can also now drag and drop files up to 300MB in size to share them with friends and contacts.
This version of Skype is also rolling out on iPad starting today, with a similar set of new features in tow.
As for Skype's future, Microsoft offered a peek at several more features it is cooking up. The most notable of these is call recording, which lets you capture entire calls at any time. Read receipts are also in the works, as are end-to-end encrypted conversations.
If you're using an older version of Skype, you should be prompted to update to version 8.0 before the September 1 deadline arrives. Otherwise, you can download the latest version of Skype from Microsoft now.
See at Microsoft (opens in new tab)
Dan Thorp-Lancaster is the Editor in Chief for Windows Central. He began working with Windows Central as a news writer in 2014 and is obsessed with tech of all sorts. You can follow Dan on Twitter @DthorpL and Instagram @heyitsdtl. Got a hot tip? Send it to daniel.thorp-lancaster@futurenet.com.
