Microsoft’s Skype For Web: Extending Voice And Video Calls To Browsers

Skype is now officially a standalone web app and the update will eventually be rolled out to a small number of existing and new users worldwide, which will commence sometime in the coming months. Currently, Skype is getting two billion minutes of chat every month and is obviously a popular service across the globe, PCWorld reports.

Incorporating the Skype app on the web will make its service more accessible to users who are logged on a shared PC, like in an Internet hub, hotel, or even in a friend's house. The web app will definitely reach out to more users that will expand the number of Skype fans.

In a blog released by Skype, it revealed its aim to breakdown communication barriers by being the world's front runner in real-time voice and video. Now that the service is available on PCs, mobile phones, TVs and even game consoles, Skype is handling 33 million hours of voice and video calls on a daily basis.

The Skype service will be made more accessible with the launch of Skype on browser which makes the app not only available on any device where it is installed but generally on all devices that uses compatible browsers, without the need to download the app. The web app will make conversations more convenient especially in devices and PC's where in users cannot or have no time to download the Skype app.

It's like logging on to Facebook or Twitter using any platform like Internet Explorer, Chrome on Windows, Firefox and Apple's Safari browser. However, Chrome fans using a Mac, Linux-based Chromebooks or standard Linux distros will not be part of the update for now.

Skype is working hand in hand with the Internet Explorer team to create a plug-in free WebRTC version of Skype for Web but currently the beta requires a plug-in in order to work. WebRTC as explained is a technology which makes browser to browser voice and video chat possible without the need for plug-ins.

Apparently, Microsoft announced that Internet Explorer will soon support WebRTC. Microsoft's browser will follow the lead of modern browsers like Chrome, Firefox and Opera. Finally, existing users can log on to their account at Skype.com to check if they already have an invite.