Ever since Skype introduced group video calls back in 2010, users have had to pay for the service with a premium subscription. In the past few years up and coming video call services like Google+ Hangouts and Line have arirved, offering the same service for free.
Skype has lost some of its appeal in recent years because most of its best features are hidden behind a giant paywall. Now, it looks like Skype is going back to its roots. Microsoft announced Skype will now allow users to hold a video call with as many as 10 people simultaneously for free.
The group calling feature is available for all users who have Skype installed on their Xbox One, Mac, or Windows PC. Other operating systems, such as iOS, Android and Windows Phone are expected to get the update very soon.
Although this may seem like an obvious move for Microsoft, it's also a very smart one. Microsoft has alienated old users from Skype by introducing all these new fees and limiting which services users can get for free. Skype has also lost a lot of new users to free platforms like Line and Google+ Hangouts.
Making group calls free on Skype should encourage a few people to go back to Skype, or at least test it out, but in reality, there isn't too much of an incentive to switch over to Skype from Hangouts, Line or any other free video call or messaging app.
Still, if Microsoft wants to make it in our increasingly mobile world, it needs apps like Skype to succeed and attract new users. Microsoft's new focus on offering free or at the very least, cheaper services is doing a world of good for the company's image. These days it's out with premium, in with freemium.
