Skype quickly becoming a must-have multi-platform tool

With the arrival of Skype on the web, it is now possible to use Microsoft's VoIP and messaging absolutely anywhere, from any kind of device, mobile or other, and to alternate between its different versions without losing any contacts or past conversations.

Skype-for-Web-beta-and-its-timeline-view-Photo-AFP

With the arrival of Skype on the web, it is now possible to use Microsoft's VoIP and messaging absolutely anywhere, from any kind of device, mobile or other, and to alternate between its different versions without losing any contacts or past conversations.

First launched in the United States and Great Britain, the beta web version of Skype is now available to the rest of the world, using any web browser (Internet Explorer, Chrome, Safari and Firefox). The service only requires the installation of a little plugin to be able to use its video and audio functions. It then updates automatically.

Microsoft originally announced in 2014 that it was testing a web version of its messenger, accessible from any browser and requiring no additional specific programs, and that is the case today. Skype is thus following the examples set by Google's Hangouts or by Whatsapp and Facebook's Messenger, all of which are already available for use from a browser, greatly simplifying their use.

It was already possible, however, to use Skype from a browser, but that necessitated connecting to Outlook.com (the future Outlook Mail). Webmail users can thus use Skype, provided they already have already registered with the VoIP service. In that case, they can even start a conversation on their smartphones and then switch it to their computers without fear of losing any information.

With the upcoming release of Windows 10, Skype's 'tile' application should disappear, making way for a direct integration of the service in three distinct applications: Messaging, Phone and Video. This would be a feature unique to Windows 10.

Finally, Skype obviously remains accessible from all devices compatible with Android, iOS, Windows Phone and even BlackBerry.

Acquired by Microsoft in 2011, Skype boasts more than 600 million active users across the world.