Microsoft has set group video calling on Skype free, allowing users to conduct virtual face-to-face chats without paying extra.
The software giant announced on April 28 that group video sessions are now enabled for users of the free version of Skype on Windows, Mac and Xbox One. In the past, the feature was available only to users of the paid Skype Premium service.
Users of the company’s mobile apps will have to wait a bit longer. “And, in the future, we’ll be enabling group video calling for all our users across more platforms—at no cost,” informed Phillip Snalune, general manager of Skype consumer marketing, in a blog post.
The move will also have an effect on how Skype plans are branded. Before now, Skype Premium offered perks including group video calling, unlimited calls and screen sharing. On the Skype Premium homepage, Microsoft stated that since “group video calls are free for everyone, we’ve removed Premium to give it a refresh.”
