iOS is perhaps most notable for the new Split View multifunction feature on the iPad, which make iOS 9 work a good deal like Windows 10 on a tablet. Microsoft provided some of the earliest support of this functionality with Office Mobile, and now the Skype team is getting in on the action. The Skype blog highlights some of the changes to the latest Skype 6.3 for iOS, and they make this a fairly significant update.
Slide Over, supported on the iPad Air, iPad Mini 2, and newer iPads, allows you to swipe in from the right and gain quick access to supported apps. With Skype, this means that you can quickly send and respond to messages without leaving your current app. Split Screen (iPad Air 2 only) works very much like in Windows 10–when in Slide Over view, just grab the left edge of the app and pull it to the left. Now, you can control both apps independently, the first time iOS has allowed true multitasking capabilities.
Additional new features include the ability to reply to a message on the lock screen, and start a chat from Spotlight. In the latter functionality, simply search for a contact and if they’re in your Skype address book, you’ll be able to head straight into chat with a simple tap.
If you’re an iOS user, and particularly a user of a newer iPad, head on over to the App Store and grab the newest version of Skype, or hit the update button if they’re already installed. Make sure to get the right version for your device.
