UPDATED 22:08 EDT / FEBRUARY 18 2016

NEWS

Size matters: Skype launches video chat for up to a whopping 25 people on iOS and Android

A few weeks ago Skype introduced a pre-release of its group video chat feature for mobile, and now Microsoft has cemented that feature with a widespread roll-out. We thought at first that group calling would permit 10 people to join the same mobile video call, but Skype has exceeded expectations and group video chats will actually allow up to 25 participants.

In a blog post the Skype team said, “Today, we’ve started rolling out group video calling on iPhone, iPad and Android phones and tablets in Western Europe and North America and we expect to have completed our roll-out to these markets over the next week or so.” Global availability, Skype said, will happen sometime in March this year.

Skype added that calls will be in “glorious” HD quality, optimized for the devices being used. At the same time the audio has been improved due to Skype’s SILK Super Wide Band audio codec in its cloud conferencing stack – something Microsoft achieved working with its partner Intel.

Another perk is Skype’s flexible interface that will optimize the viewing experience on mobile and tablet giving you the feeling, Skype said, that you are in the same room. You can also pin a person to be in view if you so choose, just as Google Hangouts allows.

Participants don’t have to be your Skype contact list, or for that matter even have a Skype account. All you need is the group link, which can be sent via any means. Just click on the link and join the chat using Skype for Web. You’ll need the latest version of Skype to start one of these meetings.

Photo credit: Skype

A message from John Furrier, co-founder of SiliconANGLE:

Your vote of support is important to us and it helps us keep the content FREE.

One click below supports our mission to provide free, deep, and relevant content.  

Join our community on YouTube

Join the community that includes more than 15,000 #CubeAlumni experts, including Amazon.com CEO Andy Jassy, Dell Technologies founder and CEO Michael Dell, Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger, and many more luminaries and experts.

“TheCUBE is an important partner to the industry. You guys really are a part of our events and we really appreciate you coming and I know people appreciate the content you create as well” – Andy Jassy

THANK YOU