Skype updates Android, iOS apps, adds video filters and more

Vu Anh Nguyen

Skype on Mobile

The Skype team has taken to their blog today to announce a new update coming to the Android and iOS versions of the app, which brings new features and specific enhancements.
On both platforms, you can now add filters to video messages – short clips that can be recorded inside the app and sent for viewing offline –  by choosing the filter wand at the bottom left of the video message windows before shooting.

An example of the video message filter from the Skype blog.
An example of the video message filter from the Skype blog.

Besides universal features, the new update also brings new functions specific to iPhones and iPads that utilize hardware-specific features of the platform. A number of new navigations can now be made using 3D Touch exclusive to iPhone 6S and 6S Plus, collectively called “Peek and Pop”: examples include quick shortcut to most used features, “Peek” at the latest messages while on call, and swipe for more information. You can now also hide and delete chats , and easily share your contact from the contact lists.
Overall, these are all welcome usability changes and represents Skype’s effort in catching up in functionalities with newer, more hip services like Snapchat and Messenger from Facebook. We can only hope the improvement will come also to Skype on Windows 10 soon (a UWP Skype would be most welcome personally). Stay tuned for upcoming Skype news and more.