Why is it called the preliminary version of skype. Skype preview - what is it and how to remove it

Since the acquisition of Skype by Microsoft in 2011, many significant developments have occurred in the evolution of this video and voice telephony service. These include the emergence of new ways to access Skype, in particular, alternatives to using the desktop client program for Windows. Functional, but at the same time resource-intensive and full of advertising, the Skype desktop program is not the best option for owners of low-power computers. To maintain your online status and not miss an important call, you don’t need all the features of the Skype desktop program. For these purposes, since 2015, which is integrated via a plugin into all popular browsers, and more recently, also a standard application for Windows 10. But only in the version of the system with the anniversary update. At the time of writing, Windows 10, updated to , includes a preview version of the Skype application. More about it below.

Highlights

The Skype app for Windows 10 has not carved out a new niche for accessing Microsoft's video and voice telephony service. It took the place of its discontinued predecessor - an application for the Metro (Modern UI) interface, created at one time for Windows 8. From its predecessor, the new application for Windows 10 inherited only the limited functionality of Skype and the emphasis on the audience of users of touch devices. The interface of the new application has been completely redesigned. Now it matches the design and organization of most of the standard Windows 10 applications with the inherent ability to change the design theme from light to dark and vice versa, with a side ribbon of tab sections on the left.

The application, as mentioned, is standard and does not need to be installed from the Windows Store. It will appear as part of the standard arsenal after updating Windows 10 to the Anniversary Update or if you install the latter from scratch. In the main window of the application, access to the latest contacts is provided, and by switching to the “Contacts” section in the side menu on the left, we get access to all added subscribers in alphabetical order. The main part of the window in this section is reserved for the search field.

Bots

The third section-tab of the application is “Bots” - a new feature that was not in the predecessor application for Windows 8, and is not present either in the web version of Skype or in the desktop version for Windows. Bots are a format of additional Skype functions implemented like artificial intelligence. Bots exist in the form of robotic Skype subscribers, and you can communicate with them via text messages, but for now only in English. Bots can search for news, music, pictures, horoscopes. You can even just chat with bots. True, the dialogue will follow a previously created scenario, and the bot will not only not understand the Slavic mentality, it even needs to respond in English from among the template phrases it offers in the chat.

Settings

The application settings section offers little: enabling/disabling messages and calls from all or unfamiliar subscribers (those not from the contact list), enabling/disabling sound signals, the ability to synchronize Skype with the People application, changing the theme, etc.

Separately, it is worth noting the possibility of using the voice mail function. Using the link from the application settings section, you will be taken to the web interface of your Skype account in a browser window, where the option to activate sending and receiving voice messages to email or mobile phone (subject to confirmation) will become available.

To change the theme, you need to restart the application.

Profile

When you click on the profile button inside the application, you can also change a few things: a mood indicator (similar to statuses in social networks), online presence status, mobile number. Separate options include links for replenishing your Skype account. And to edit other profile data, you can follow the “Account Management” link in the Skype web interface.

Conversations

At the very bottom of the application window there is a dialing form button for making calls to mobile and landline phone numbers, some organizational options, as well as a button for creating conversations - group chats, where you can communicate with several subscribers using text messages or in a video conference format. The option to create conversations, along with a list of recent contacts, is present in the main application window, on the right side.

To create a conversation, you need to select several subscribers and click “Create” at the bottom.

The conversation you create will appear among your recent Skype contacts. By calling up the context menu on it, you can add the conversation to your favorites, and then it will also be displayed in the contacts section. In the context menu we will also have access to two control options. One of them, “Leave Conversation,” does not delete the conversation, but makes it unavailable for activity. The second – “Open profile” – opens a side panel for editing its parameters. In the conversation profile, in particular, you can get a link for everyone to join the group chat.

You can create a video conference while communicating with one of the subscribers. The second one can join the conversation if, at the time of communication with the first one, on the transfer screen of his image, among the set of options, select “Add participants to this call.” In the form that appears, you need to select the second subscriber from among your contacts.

Screen sharing

Another useful feature in the selection of Skype options during communication with a subscriber is “Screen sharing”. This is a demonstration to your interlocutor of what is happening on your computer screen. The ability to select a screen if there are several of them connected to the computer is not provided. The main screen will be shown by default. Perhaps this nuance will be improved in the future, but for now the demonstration function does not work correctly even for the main screen.

Disadvantages of the application and overall rating

Let us repeat, at the time of writing this article we are dealing with a preliminary version of the Skype application for Windows 10. In the “Feedback and Suggestions” application, users complain about periodic crashes from the account, the inability to copy part of the messages (only the whole) and other shortcomings. There are negative reviews about the function of bots, but they are not about their technical imperfections. People are indignant about their existence in principle.

Well, in general, as for the application format itself, it is quite successful. It is more convenient and functional than its predecessor for Windows 8. It is created in a single format with standard Windows 10 applications, which makes it easier for beginners to master it. It uses a minimum of computer resources, is fast, and does not freeze, as often happens with a desktop program. Probably, after improving this application, desktop Skype can be abandoned altogether.

Have a great day!

Question: I want to try the new version of the interface. How do I sign up to receive a trial version of Skype 10 for company employees?
Answer: All users on Windows 10 can sign up for Skype for Windows 10 employees. You can register to try. The preview build of Skype 10 does the following:

Skype 10 applications (version 12)

Go to application settings.
Select under Settings Skype Apps Preview .

Skype 10 app (version 14)

Launch Skype for Windows 10.
Go to page application settings.
Go to inquiries and your feedback and suggestions.
Select join preview in the Settings section Skype Apps Preview .

Q. How can I determine if I have the latest version?
Answer: Check the version number. In Skype, select your profile, then scroll down and tap O. The latest version of Skype 10 is version 14.x of the application. If your app version is 12.x or lower you have not updated to the latest version yet.

Q. How do I leave my review about the new building by the staff?
Answer: Your comments and feedback are important to us to improve the experience in Skype 10 before opening it to a wider audience. Leave your review, select an option report a problem in our ... menu or leave a review in the app Server Hub your reviews and suggestions .

Question: I signed up for the Skype for Windows 10 Preview program with company employees. How to get updated versions now ?
Answer: The build will be updated through the repository like other repository updates. 24 hours after you may be required to register before receiving updates.

Question: which version of Skype to use on Windows 10?
Answer: 10 users, we suggest Skype 10- Recommended versions of how this operating system will work with integrated features that make it easier to share with people or groups on the Windows 10 platform, including:

The miracle of the Windows folder.
My users.
Windows Mixed Realities.

Question: When upgrading to find out the latest Skype for Windows 10 building news for employees, will My Journal, Contacts or Credits be affected?
Answer: If you are using Skype for Windows 10 (version 12), your contacts, history, and credits will not be affected when you update to the latest version. The update acts like other storage updates. Your account information will be saved.

If you are using a different version of Skype before you upgrade to the latest version, your employees will continue to have logs available on their computer, but only the logs from the previous year will appear in the updated client. A log that is more than a year old is stored locally on your computer and is not backed up to the cloud. We recommend exporting it and saving it to your own cloud storage. Check your Skype version with Help before upgrading to the latest Skype for Windows 10 preview version.

Question: I have Windows Phone. How to get the latest building employees of the company?
Answer: Skype for Windows 10 (version 14) is not supported on Windows Phone. Skype for Windows 10 (version 12) support will continue to be provided for existing Windows Phone users.

Question: What happened to SMS synchronization for Windows Phone?
A: Windows Phone SMS sync is not supported on Skype for Windows 10 (version 14). You can continue to use Skype for Windows 10 (version 12) as the default messaging app on your Windows Phone.

Q. How do I leave the program?
Answer: you can leave the Skype 10 preview program, go to settings Skype Apps Preview within Skype and selecting leave a preview. You will need to uninstall Skype and install it from the repository to immediately receive the old build.

Skype 10 applications (version 12)

Go to application settings.
Select under Settings Skype Apps Preview .

Skype 10 app (version 14)

Launch Skype for Windows 10.
Go to page application settings.
Go to inquiries and your feedback and suggestions.
Select join preview in the Settings section Skype Apps Preview .

The miracle of the Windows folder.
My users.
Windows Mixed Realities.

If you have been using the Skype messenger for a long time, you are probably accustomed to it and do not want to change it to some other program. In order to make using the messenger more convenient and keep up with other similar applications, the developers have improved it and released a preliminary version of the updated program. All the necessary information about it can be found by reading the materials in this article.

What is Skype beta

The beta version of Skype is a test version of the updated program, which has new functionality not previously available to this program.

The preliminary version of the messenger belongs to the Metro applications from the Windows Store. The first attempts to release an updated version of the software were made back when Windows 8 appeared. But then the software did not reach the required number of the target audience for which it was designed. Therefore, the application was modified and released for Windows 10. In this version of the operating system, the messenger is installed by default, that is, it can be used immediately after installing the tenth version of Windows on your computer. You can find the application through the “Start” button, just sort the programs alphabetically. To sign in to the beta version of Skype for the first time, use your Microsoft profile.

What are the differences between Skype Beta and the regular version?

The beta version of Skype is adapted for touch screen devices and regular PCs. It has two design themes: light and dark, which can be set as desired. This feature was not available in the previous version.

Logging into the messenger for the first time will allow the user to become familiar with its interface. Navigation and a list of contacts will be visible on the left side, additional buttons on the bottom, and a dialog box on the right side.

Navigation characteristics

The first window is “Recent Conversations”. A list of previous conversations with friends will be available in it.
The second window is “Contacts”. All added contacts will be displayed here in alphabetical order. If a person is signed in English, he will be at the beginning of the list.
The third window is “Bots”. Shows a list of bots you can collaborate with.
The fourth window is “Parameters”. By opening it, the user can change some settings.
The fifth window is the user’s personal profile.

Having compared the new version of the program and the old one, you can already notice some differences between them.

Now let's take a closer look at the last three tabs listed above.

Bots

This is a new section that is not in the standard version of Skype. A bot is a smart assistant that will make searching for the necessary information much faster and easier. Bots are presented as program subscribers. You can correspond with them, but only in English. Naturally, all available phrases are pre-programmed, so you won’t be able to chat about painful issues. The bot will help you find information about the weather forecast, your favorite musical composition, and a horoscope for the near future.

Options

If the user wants to change something in the Beta version of the program, he can use this section.

The following tabs will be available to him:

Sound and video – you can select a camera to capture video, change the microphone and speaker settings, and also check the sound quality.
Calls. The user can independently configure which subscribers from the list can receive incoming calls.
Notification settings. Using this section, you can actually configure the appearance of notifications in the messenger.
Messaging. Thanks to this function, you can configure previews of web links, voice mail, SMS.
Contacts. Allows you to configure the addition of new contacts and synchronize the software with the People application.
Mode – allows you to change the theme of the application.
Accessibility and Network - these functions are configured in the Windows 10 OS settings.
Multimedia playback – incoming video is configured automatically.

Profile

Everything is simple in this section. The user will be able to do the following:

replace the mood indicator;
view your personal login for the program;
replace the main photo;
change the established status;
exit the messenger.

Removal

If you want to remove the Beta version of Skype from your device, then you will need to do the following: use the PowerShell program, otherwise you will not be able to remove the application in any other way, since it is initially built into the operating system set of programs.

Now you have familiarized yourself with the basic information about the Beta version of the utility. Try it out and decide which version of the program you should use in the future.

Rumor that someone has appeared preliminary versionSkypeWindows 10, spread around the Internet quite quickly. And some users wondered: what exactly is this program, and what advantages will it give to the average Tens user?

What is the preview version of Skype for Windows 10

According to Microsoft itself, the so-called preview version of Skype for Windows 10 is designed to replace disparate applications for calling and text messaging on Windows mobile and desktop operating systems. Of course, the desire to bring all this to a common denominator is very commendable. The decision to create such a single version was made by the developers based on feedback from the users themselves, who wished to use the workspace on the screen more efficiently. And this is really true not so much for desktop as for mobile operating systems.

At the same time, you can safely continue to use the classic version of Skype. Of course, if the user has it.

It is gratifying that the preliminary version of Skype is also available in Russian. So this will definitely make it easier for a Russian-speaking user to master the application.

Key features of Skype Preview

Of course, Skype would not be Skype if it did not allow subscribers to call each other via voice and video communications. And, of course, this can be done. And it's still completely free.

After launching the preview, the user will see the following buttons and have access to features:

Main Menu button – here you can view notification and function icons;
Last conversation – accordingly, here is a list of the user’s last conversations;
Contacts – list of available contacts;
Bots – from here you can manage available bots, add them, enable, disable, etc.;
Help – accordingly, here you can go to the user support page;
Program settings;
Profile – you can manage your profile data, top up your balance, change your status, etc.;
Conversations – list of available conversations;
Call buttons.

The interface of the preliminary version is very interesting due to its compactness. It is easy to learn and intuitive. Mainly, all the most popular functions are located in the left side menu. By clicking on one or another button here you can access the functions.

The program still allows you to exchange text messages in individual and group chat, insert emoticons, mojis, and files into your messages.

At the same time, some more advanced features may not yet be available. However, the developers promise that in the very near future they will correct the situation and gradually expand the functionality of Skype.

How to start using the preview version of Skype

Every user who has Windows 10 on their device and, of course, Skype, can at any time receive an offer to start using its preview version. However, you can always refuse and continue working with the classic version.

To enable the preview option, you just need to click on the Start button on the left side of the Desktop and select launch Skype from the available programs. When asked about updating the application to the latest trial version, you must answer in the affirmative and wait until all the necessary software components have been downloaded.

After restarting the program, you can start using the new Skype.