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“Modern UI” Skype app coming soon?

Aug 16, 2012 10:12 pm by Kip Kniskern | 9 comments

Neowin.net has apparently got their hands on not only some screenshots of the long anticipated Skype “MX”, if that’s what it’s called, but have actually been able to play with the app, for at least a bit.

Neowin first posted some screenshots of the new app earlier this evening:

… and then a couple of hours Brad Sams from Neowin posted on Neowin’s hands on experience with a preview of the app, calling it “fast” and “relatively solid”, reporting that “it did not crash a single time”:

During our time with the application, it did not crash a single time. In fact, when chatting via voice and text, the parties on the other end could not tell that we were using the preview app. Considering how well polished this application is, we fully expect that it will be released by Microsoft in the very near future.

Of course it wouldn’t come as much of a surprise that a Windows 8 Skype app were to be released before or at least alongside a Windows 8 launch in October. Microsoft has been very quiet about their plans for Skype, although with that $8.5 bil price tag we don’t think they’ll be quiet for much longer as they seek to promote Skype and Windows 8 together.

Head on over to Neowin for some more screenshots, and let us know what you think. Should Skype replace Windows Live Messenger? Would you rather use Skype than the unbranded “messaging” in Outlook.com and Windows 8? And what IS Microsoft’s messaging strategy, will we ever know?

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http://www.facebook.com/khris Khristopher Ranger
And will beta testing ever come back to Microsoft software? I sure wish it would.
http://www.facebook.com/emiliano.magliocca Emiliano Magliocca
good ! but now come on please merge skype/messenger/lync in one service with microsoft account !!!
http://profiles.google.com/rsadykoff Rustam Sydykov
Hello
everyone!
It looks
like MS is confused what to do with Skype and Live Messenger. I do not like
Skype interface on PC, too cluttered for my liking and messenger is more
reliable in terms of just exchanging messages. It has been a few times when I
sent message via Skype and it arrived weeks later after I pressed
“sent” button. I would like full integration of Skype and Live Messenger,
including video/audio calls on WP.
Cheers,
Rustam.
JSYOUNG571
NO! It has taken years for Windows Live Messenger to be perfect and stable like it is. Please do not ruin it.
Saugee
is there any new about Skype if it will us make new Ids Name in the future or deleting UN used nick names for more years
- Saugee
  is there any news about Skype if it will us make new Ids Name in the future or deleting UN used nick names for more years
http://www.facebook.com/PositiveNRG Christopher King
Honestly thought that Microsoft would integrate the Messenger program into Skype so that there wouldn”t be the need for redundancies�
Mettafox
I hope Microsoft merge the WLM service with the Skype service and instead of a Skype account, use the Outlook / Hotmail account.
David
They should take the advantages from each service … A/V and landline link from Skype, Messaging from WLM (yes, Skype IM sucks) and ID/SSO/PBX, presence and privacy from Lync and merge it into one service / software which could have maybe two brandings for end users and enterprise. Furthermore I do agree to use the Microsoft Account (or Active Directory UPN for Enterprise) as login instead of a username.