Microsoft's new Skype redesign is a radical change that looks like Snapchat

Life is busy and filled with too many options. Staying connected, with all this noise, can sometimes be challenging. And in a world of choice, having a familiar place to share with the people who are closest to you, can go a long way. Today, we are introducing the next generation of Skype to make experiencing life together, every day, simpler.
Rebuilt from the ground up, the new Skype vastly improves the ways you can connect with your favorite people and, of course, chatting is front and center. We’ve made group chats more lively, expressive, and—most importantly—personalized, so you can chat the way you want. With the new Skype, you’ll have countless ways to share life’s moments together, every day. Wherever life takes you, Skype allows you to seamlessly create, play, share, and do more with the people you care about most.

Your everyday place for personal connections

We want to help you deepen connections within your personal network. There’s only one of you in this world, so now you can show-off your personal style by customizing Skype with your favorite colors. When in a conversation, you should always make sure your voice is heard, or more specifically, your emoticon is seen! By simply tapping on the reaction icon next to any message or video call, you can now easily express how you feel at any time.
And the next time you’re on an adventure exploring the world (or relaxing poolside on a deserved break), share your experience with Skype’s new feature: Highlights. Highlights lets you create a highlight reel of your day with photos and videos, so you can share everyday moments. To post a Highlight, swipe to access your camera, take a photo or video, then post it to your Highlights or send it directly to your contacts or groups. Once you post a Highlight, your friends and family can react to it with emoticons or by jumping into a conversation. The new Skype is your canvas, and now you’re free to share in more expressive ways with your closest friends, family and groups.

Your one place to share, chat, and explore

Of course, relationships go beyond simple conversations. With the new Skype, it’s even easier to turn talk into action with group conversations, add-ins, and bots*. The new “Find” panel takes center stage, and makes Skype infinitely searchable. Looking for seats to a big game? Pull ticket pricing and seating options directly into the chat with the StubHub bot. Trying to find the perfect recipe for the brunch you’re hosting? Discover the latest trends with the BigOven add-in and learn the many ways you can make that avocado toast. Planning a weekend getaway with old friends? Chat with the Expedia bot to check flight times and pricing. And that’s just the start. New add-ins and bots will continue to be added, making your Skype experience even more rich and robust. With the ability to connect to your favorite businesses and brands from within the app, the simplest conversations can pave the way to lasting memories.

Available everywhere, so you can go anywhere

We’re really excited to share this new Skype with you. We think it’s the best Skype we’ve ever built—inside and out—and it’s been designed to make it easier for you to use for your everyday communications. Now, Skype can be with you for all life’s moments, no matter where the world takes you—on your favorite devices, to smart speakers, and beyond.
Skype has been a part of your life since 2003. Yet, our promise to you has always stayed the same: to help you create meaningful connections, regardless of the distance, in new, simple and intuitive ways. And with the new Skype we’re closer than ever to bringing your world together.

Today, we begin rolling out the new Skype worldwide, coming first to mobile and then to desktop. It will be available first on Android devices, releasing gradually over the coming weeks, followed by the new version for iPhone. Versions for Windows and Mac will be released over the next few months.