Skype Updates Apps for Android and iOS With Much-Needed Features

Microsoft has updated its VoIP and messaging app, Skype, for both the Android and iOS platforms. While the latest update for Skype for Android brings the app version to 5.2, the iPhone version now reaches to 5.10.

The Skype v5.2 for Android now allows users to share images and photos in a chat even when the recipient is offline. The previous versions required the recipient to be online before an image could be shared. Now, the sender can go ahead and attach an image to the conversation thread or chat window without waiting for the recipient come online. The sent images will appear to recipients in the chat thread once they come online. Users as before can either share an existing photo, or take one to share.

In recent updates, Skype for Android has gained picture-in-picture support for smartphones, and improvements such as faster chat load and improvements in call quality.

On the other hand, Skype v5.10 for iPhone now brings back Skype URI (uniform resource identifier) support. For developers, URI support lets them use "Skype's messaging and calling infrastructure" for making calls or sending texts directly from their app or mobile website. With the return of the feature in Skype v5.10 for iOS, users can simply tap on a Skype name or number in apps or mobile websites to directly open the Skype app and either make a call or send a message.

The Skype v5.10 update for iPhone also brings some improvements to the Skype app's dialler, which now lets users more easily create new contacts and save phone numbers that have been entered in the dial pad, apart from phone numbers from the recent calls list.

Both the updated Skype apps for Android and iPhone are available to download from their respective app stores.