Skype 7.0 for Android rolls out a tablet-friendly redesign
With version 7.0, the app more fully embraces Google’s Material Design language by adding in a floating action button for quick access to new messages, voice, and video calls. There’s also finally a multi-pane view when you use the app in landscape mode so you’re able to quickly switch over to another conversation.
Microsoft also says it’s ramped up the search capabilities, with the company’s “improved universal search” so you can find a contact, conversation, group, or Skype bot from the search bar at the top. The company also wants you to nudge more of your contacts over to the world of Skype, with a list of your address book entries right in your Skype contact list.
You can look for the new version of Skype to land soon in the Google Play Store.
The impact on you: All in all this looks like a pretty solid update, so definitely grab it if you use Skype frequently on an Android tablet. The multi-pane window is also long overdue, as that will save you a step when you need to switch up conversations. But the real feature to keep an eye on is that bot integration, as Microsoft, Google, and Facebook are all trying to inject their messaging apps with more AI-powered smarts.