Just in time for the Windows 10 Anniversary Update, Skype is making a series of announcements this week, including a new alpha release of a Skype client for Linux. As it is in alpha, the client is not fully featured as of yet, but is built on WebRTC, a protocol allowing Skype to connect with a variety of clients, including Linux, and provide fast, modern services.
A blog post on the Skype blog explains just what you’ll get in this early version of the brand new Linux client:
Once you’ve downloaded the app, you’ll notice that it’s very different to the Skype for Linux client you use today. For example, you’ll be using the latest, fastest and most responsive Skype UI, so you can share files, photos, videos and a whole new range of new emoticons with your friends.
This includes the Chrome and Chromebook Skype experiences as well, as Skype has rebuilt to support the WebRTC and ORTC protocols, which Chromebooks support, so that visiting web.Skype.com will provide the same features as the Skype for Linux client, including video calling, and calls to landlines and mobile devices both coming soon. The early arrival of voice calling on Chromebooks is part of this Skype revamp, but there is lots more to come.
If you want to learn more about the Skype for Linux Alpha, Skype engineers are holding a 2 hour QnA session beginning at 3pm BST (7am PDT), so you can get your burning questions answered.
Skype has been doing some major rebuilding in preparation for Windows 10 and the Anniversary Update, and plans a number of announcements in the coming days, so stay tuned to WinBeta for all the latest news.
