To say Microsoft took some heat for its Skype redesign, which first landed last summer, would be an understatement. The biggest criticism levied at the overhaul was that it felt like it was trying too hard to imitate Snapchat, from its colorful design language to the "Highlights" feature, which is basically a clone of Snapchat Stories.
Following a torrent of negative feedback, the Skype team said it was listening to users, eventually leading to the promised return of missing features and a rethinking of Skype's design language. And, yes, that includes the removal of Highlights.
In a new blog post, Microsoft's director of design for Skype and Outlook, Peter Skillman, says that the team has taken a step back to focus the on "simplicity and familiarity" at the core of Skype's design. From Skillman:
As Skype functionality has expanded, so too has its complexity. As with any feature rich product, maintaining simplicity while enhancing functionality is critical to usability. This past year we explored some design changes and heard from customers that we overcomplicated some of our core scenarios. Calling became harder to execute and Highlights didn't resonate with a majority of users. We needed to take a step back and simplify!
Skillman first highlights the changes to its mobile apps, noting that it is focusing on decluttering the UI and moving to three buttons at the bottom of the app: Chats, Calls, and Contacts. As part of the shift, the Highlights feature is has gone out the metaphorical window.
On the desktop side of things, Skillman focuses on changes to the design to make things easier for those coming from the classic Skype experience. While the modern look is still here to stay, Microsoft has moved the four main navigation buttons to the top-left portion of the window, just above your chats. "Decorative elements," such as the squiggle shape cutout for notifications, have also been removed for a more conservative design. That's in addition to both light and dark themes, along with a Skype "Classic" blue theme, Microsoft says.
"We are listening to your feedback and are wholly committed to improving the Skype experience based on what you are telling us," Skillman says. "We hope this updated design makes Skype easier to use and provides a better Skype experience." While Microsoft is still addressing feedback, you can contribute your own ideas and vote on others at the Skype UserVoice site.
The blog post comes after Microsoft decided to backtrack on plans to retire the classic Skype desktop app on September 1 in order to implement highly requested missing features in Skype version 8. Some of the features currently in the works include split view, improved privacy settings, and the ability to search for a message in a chat. In the meantime, classic Skype users will continue to be able to use the app for the forseeable future.

The Dell XPS 15 is our choice for best 15-inch laptop
For a lot of people, a 15-inch laptop is a perfect size that offers enough screen for multitasking, and in a lot of cases, some extra performance from powerful hardware. We've rounded up the best of the best at this size.

Halo: MCC's live service elements make it better, not worse
Halo: The Master Chief Collection is more popular than ever, but some fans don't agree with the live service approach 343 Industries has taken with it. Here's why those elements are, at the end of the day, great for the game and for Halo overall.

Microsoft's Surface Duo is not 'failing up'
Microsoft announced this week that it was expanding Surface Duo availability to nine new commercial markets. While Surface Duo is undoubtedly a work in progress, this is not a sign of a disaster. It's also doesn't mean that Surface Duo is selling a ton either. Instead, the reason for the expansion is a lot more straightforward.

These tools will help you keep your PC's drivers updated
Windows 10 does a good job of updating your PC's drivers, but third-party tools can help you clean up and optimize your system. Here are the best tools to keep your Windows 10 PC's drivers up to date.