New chat list: You can now organise your contact list by time, unread, or status. You can also pin people or groups. And to see more on your screen, you can change the view from standard to compact, or collapse the chat list. @mentions, message reactions, and a new notification panel: Microsoft said you’re now able to “quickly jump back into conversations where you were @mentioned to see how people reacted to what you’ve said,” and you can keep track of your mentions in the notification panel. New chat media gallery: It’s easier to find your media content, like links and documents and photos, in a chat, thanks to the new chat media gallery. Skype Insiders can also use add-ins, which can be added into each chat, such as GIF-based apps or apps for scheduling, sending money, video sharing, and more. Enhanced group calls: You can now drag and drop in group calls and communicate with emojis thanks to new in-call reactions. When in a video chat or a text conversation, you can also set status updates to let friends know when you aren’t available. Bots: Bots called Scoop, Hipmunk, and more are available to help. Microsoft said you can pull ticket pricing and seating options directly into a one-to-one or group chat with the StubHub bot, for instance, or you can chat with the Expedia bot to check flight times and pricing, etc. Customisable themes: The Skype desktop on PC desktops and Macs lets you personalise your conversations with themes. You can use the classic theme or go with a dark theme. Cloud-based: Skype is now cloud-based, making sharing files, photos, and videos is easier. You can send up to 300MB over Skype by dragging and dropping the file. Message history: You can still access all the chats and calls you’ve had on Skype. They’re now stored in the cloud for two years. Cross-device functionality: The new Skype also works across multiple devices - from mobile, desktop, Xbox, smart speakers, and more. Your messages and content are available anywhere you have Skype installed.
