6 things Microsoft needs to do to fix Skype (or at least improve it)

Once at the top of the online communication mountain, Skype has fallen out of favor in the eyes of many. Here are some ways Microsoft could fix that.

At one time the word Skype was ubiquitous with online communication. To this day, some people still say they'll "Skype" you even if they're using a different service. But that time is in the rearview, and the online communication world is driving away quickly.

Messaging services like WhatsApp and Facebook now have video and voice calling while still providing online messaging, and other platforms like Discord dominate areas that Skype could have entered but never expanded into.

Microsoft has some major work to do if it wants Skype to be competitive. Here are six ways Microsoft could improve Skype to help it compete.

(Note: In this article, I focus on the consumer versions of Skype rather than Skype for Business.)

1. Bring SMS relay to more platforms

Skype has had an odd history with SMS messaging. A messaging app briefly existed that allowed you to send Skype messages and SMS texts within the same app on Windows 10 Mobile, but Microsoft got rid of it in favor of SMS relay. This allows you to send and receive SMS texts through your PC by relaying them through Skype, which is great ... except for the fact that it only works on a dead platform.

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