Skype Updates iOS App Again, Adding Slick New Calling UI

Skype's iOS app received the latest in a long series of updates this week, with promises to users for a "beautiful new calling experience."

In addition to providing a clean new user interface (UI) for placing calls, the app update allows users to mark recent chats as "read" and displays one-to-one chats in the correct order. Other general fixes and improvements are also included.

Since Microsoft bought Skype in 2011 for $8.56 billion, the company has continued to build new features into Skype's mobile software, transforming it from just a video calling apps to a full communications applications.

Earlier Updates

In one earlier update to the iOS app, for example, Microsoft merged its Live Messenger service into Skype, allowing users to log-in via their Microsoft accounts and automatically integrate their Messenger, Hotmail and Outlook.com contacts into Skype.

Also earlier on, Microsoft updated Skype's instant messaging feature, so that users can edit messages after the messages have been sent. In another added feature, Microsoft integrated a menu of emoticons to let users express their feelings via the cartoon-like faces.

iOS users who have devices with retina displays also have access to animated emoticons.

The Skype app for iOS is available as a free download in the Apple App Store. It is compatible with iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad devices running iOS 5.0 or later. The app is optimized for iPhone 5.