Subj : Remember Skype? Well now its ad-free again, which will be a refre
To   : All
From : TechnologyDaily
Date : Thu Aug 01 2024 19:45:05

Remember Skype? Well now its ad-free again, which will be a refreshing change 
for Windows 11 users

Date:
Thu, 01 Aug 2024 18:33:27 +0000

Description:
Windows 11 might be continually getting more ads, but at least for Skype 
users, Microsoft is going in the other direction.

FULL STORY
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Remember Skype ? Well, its still around, and while the likes of Google Meet 
and Microsoft Teams might hog the communications spotlight now, Microsoft is 
still working on Skype - and is hoping to make it more popular by killing the 
ads in the app and adding (you guessed it) AI features. 

In the recently published release notes for Skype Insider build 8.125 , 
Microsoft outlined the big changes in this new preview version. The major 
development, as mentioned, is that the adverts are being dumped, and that 
means all of them, with Microsoft proclaiming that "Skype is now ad-free!" 

In short, Skype users will no longer see ads in Skype Channels and across the 
rest of the Skype platform, making for a much-improved user experience, or 
that should be the case (not that Ive used Skype in quite some time). 
Remember, though, that this move is still in testing - so theres no guarantee 
it will come to fruition. 

As well as banishing the adverts, Microsoft has brought in an improved AI 
image creator in the Skype desktop apps, enabling users to generate images 
directly in their chat window, or from the top bar of the interface. 
Additionally, users can now expand these AI-generated images with just a 
click. 

Alongside these bigger changes, Microsoft has integrated OneAuth into Skype 
for iOS, giving users an option to make signing in easier. This enables users 
to replace classic sign-in systems with OneAuth and be signed into Skype 
automatically if theyre already signed into another Microsoft app - pretty 
handy. 

The preview build also includes the usual bug fixes and improvements to app 
stability. (Image credit: Shutterstock) A new and improved Skype for the 
modern age 

While I dont know why Microsoft thinks everyone has suddenly developed a 
hunger for AI image generators in every corner of Windows 11 and its apps, 
but I guess the changes on that front dont hurt. However, when it comes to 
giving ads the axe - now were talking. Its great to see Windows 11 lose some 
adverts for a change, rather than having more of them jammed in - even if 
these are ads in an app you dont use much (or at all). 

Skype does have an active user base in the hundreds of millions, though, and 
it appears Microsoft is keen to make it more popular with the casting aside 
of adverts. 

If this development has piqued your interest and you want to see the ad-free 
Skype, youll need to download the latest Skype Insider build - or wait for 
all these features and changes to come to the release version of the app 
(which hopefully wont take too long). YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE... Move over, Zoom  
WhatsApp can now make voice and video calls from the desktop Skype is back, 
and wants to take on Zoom How to change your Skype password or reset it



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Link to news story:
https://www.techradar.com/computing/software/remember-skype-well-now-its-ad-fr
ee-again-which-will-be-a-refreshing-change-for-windows-11-users


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