The demand for remote-friendly platforms surged amid the coronavirus outbreak, and as a result, Skype has seen an uptick in users seeking videoconferencing technology. Unfortunately, Microsoft (which owns Skype) botched a recent Skype update when the world needs it the most, TechRadar reports.
A Twitter user called the Windows 10 Skype update an "obliteration," claiming that the new Skype version no longer includes People app integration, Outlook syncing, automatic Microsoft Account sign-ins or app pausing (Skype remaining idle in the background).
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Yikes, just tried it & they obliterated every good thing the UWP still had. -No more people app integration-No more sync with outlook -No more automatic MSA sign in-No more app pausing / working in background-No more good looking title barMarch 17, 2020
There are two versions of Skype: a desktop app that can be downloaded from the Skype website and a pre-installed Skype program for Windows 10 users; The latter is what Twitter user Florian B is up in arms about.
Thurrott claimed that there are additional absent features: "Also missing: inline replies in notifications and Share integration."
The Windows 10 default Skype program is known for featuring better Windows 10 integration than its web-installed counterpart. But with Microsoft's new updates to Skype, the application is ditching many of its well-received features.
The regressive update may be due to Microsoft's move to phase out Universal Windows Platform (UWP), a Microsoft-created API that helps developers launch cross-platform apps that run on Windows 10.
Italian tech blog Aggiornamenti Lumia pointed out that instead of using UWP, Microsoft is transitioning into a cross-platform framework called Electron. The conversion hasn't been smooth, but it will allow developers to optimize Skype compatibility for platforms beyond Windows 10, such as Chrome OS.
React Native ✖️Electron ✔️ https://t.co/Ute5j1SREfMarch 17, 2020
Microsoft's unpopular tweaks are ill-timed. As work-from-home employees grow more dependent on videoconferencing, coronavirus-affected workers are flocking to Skype. Hopefully, the Redmond-based tech giant will recoup Skype's feature losses with better, revamped enhancements in the future.