The Skype team announced last Wednesday that Skype for Linux, after fixing some bugs and optimizing the performance, among other changes, has gone from Alpha to Beta, a denomination denoting more stability and better usability.
Peer-to-peer no longer
The new, improved Skype for Linux no longer relies on peer-to-peer, having been upgraded to, what is a modern cloud architecture. This marks a continuation of team's effort to abandon peer-to-peer altogether and rely solely on the cloud, like Meet - Google's chat software.
This might not be the end of the changes for Linux's version of the popular chat software.
Microsoft had previously announced that Linux and Mac's versions of Skype would eventually be moved fully to a browser-based system. In fact, according to some statements, there are plans to eventually create an universal platform to allow the same version of software to be run on absolutely any operating system.
An answer to the complaints
Skype's Linux version had been previously heavily criticized for its lack of support. The Skype client on this operating system was of poor quality, and stopped getting official support even before any alternatives were made – meaning there was absolutely no way, for a while, for a Linux user to make use of software.
One comes, another goes
The update for Linux's Skype client coincided with news of something else being discontinued.
Skype Wi-Fi is a system that allows users to make use of hundreds of thousands of internet hotspots all around the globe, with the payment being made through a currency called Skype Credit. But not for long, as Skype Wi-Fi will cease to be supported at the end of the month. Downloads of the app will be fully disabled, and credit will be refunded to users.
Microsoft made an announcement that the reason for this was so the team could devote their efforts fully to providing their program with a better user experience.
Skype for Linux's newest improvements
As for Skype for Linux version 5 and its new, Beta status? Some glitches and bugs remain, of course, some quite severe, but overall this newest version of the program brings some considerable improvements to the table. A lot of them are long asked-for quality of life changes, but the ability to finally make video calls between Skype for Linux and versions of Skype on other operating systems was welcome.
