Skype with Facebook integration and group video calling
We’re excited to announce a brand new version of Skype for Windows, which will help bring you and your friends, family and co-workers together like never before. Download it now, or read on to find out what’s inside.
We’ve integrated the Facebook News Feed and Phonebook into Skype, making it easier to stay connected with the people and communities you care about. We’ve revitalised the look and feel, making voice and video calling, instant messaging, screen sharing and file sharing intuitive and easy to navigate. And you can now bring even more of your family and friends together with the new group video calling feature available in open beta.
With Facebook integration, you can:
- see your Facebook News Feed in Skype
- post status updates that can be synced with your Skype mood message
- comment and like friends’ updates and wall posts
- call and SMS your Facebook friends on their mobile phones and landlines
- make a free Skype-to-Skype call if your Facebook friend is also a Skype contact
Video calling accounted for approximately 40% of all Skype-to-Skype minutes in the first half of this year, and with the new version of Skype, you’ll receive a free trial of group video calling in beta. We’ve added a dynamic group video calling view, which it easy to follow who’s talking by moving the focus to the person speaking on the call – try it out!
We’ve also continued our drive to further improve call quality, and the new version of Skype introduces automatic call recovery, which helps you reconnect calls that are interrupted due to Internet connection problems. Plus, the call quality manager gauges audio and video quality during calls, helping you to resolve problems and improving the call experience.
Finally, the new Skype Home serves as the dashboard for your Skype experience, with a feed of mood messages from your contacts, and tutorials on everything from how to make a video call to how to sign up for a subscription.
Download the new version now – and carry on talking 
For those of you who are Mac users: we intend to release an update to our Mac app soon.
Ok guys getting ridiculous how far behind the MAC version is. I understand it’s a smaller user base but we’re way way behind
And for Linux!? C’mon we’re still on version 2.1 (BETA) and windows has version 5!, did you forget abount OpenSource or What? We are obliged to use windows? No!, please answer me and say if something is moving for Linux too!
Come on, Skype! The features are really great but the lack of Mac news is embarrassing! We also want a cleaner interface, group calling and a better experience overall.
cannot DL it … could someone post a direct link ?
Guys, that’s great. But. Are there any plans on new skype versions for mac?
Clicking the link above takes me to the Skype 4.2 download. Should be Skype 5.0 right?
Has Skype for Mac OS X died? Why don’t you update it anymore? It works bad, it looks old, its functionalities are crappy and very limited. R.I.P. Skype for Mac OS X.
Really, Mac and Linux versions are far behind. Not good.
stop Mac discrimination!!! We want new updates for Mac!!!
Hey. Just v4.2 or 5 beta available for download
The “Download it now” link points to Skype 4.2, does anybody have the correct link to download this new version of Skype? Skype 5.0…
To those of you having download problems – our web servers are still synchronising, so you may see a page labelled with v4.2. Click the download link and you will, in fact, get the new version
The title was exciting because it said nothing about windows exclusivity on the new release. I guess us Mac users are going to have to continue to wait…
how do you get the facebook tab?
This is great and all… but in all seriousness there has to be a better sync of the Windows version and OS X version of the software… One good example is the lack of a Business version of Skype for OS X (while it’s available for Windows). I love Skype, all of my phone numbers both business and personal are through Skype, but I would really appreciate better OS X support, especially a launch of a business version for OS X. I could really use the features to make my work and Skype experience more streamlined.
I really do love Skype, and they are doing a lot of great stuff. I’ve suggested you for years. But I really think you need to start syncing what you do cross-platform. That means what you do on Windows should happen for your Mac and Linux users. I know it’s not as easy going cross system, but I think it would really help y’all.
Very, very nice implementation!
But there’s an issue with this… I have 2 facebook account, one for private use and one for professional use. With the one I’m signed in on Chrome and the other i’m signed in on Opera. When I want to connect with Skype on my Facebook account, it connects with the account on Opera, which I do not want offcourse. Could the be resolved in another version?
Grtz
Skype doesn’t care about Mac and Linux users. Doesn’t matter if we pay them $$$ for credit or not, the service is shameful.
I guess we just have to make do with our basic Skype-lite releases and suck it up.
A new version of Skype for Mac OS X is coming soon – stay tuned!
Why can I not import my e mail from Rogers YAHOO to Skype and when I enter individual addresses, Skype can’t find them. Something is not setup right
when a new version on linux systems? and whether it will be finally changed in appearance and function?
We need a Mac version update too!!!!
I love the new features on my PC version of Skype. However, the Mac version is ancient and featureless. Sure there aren’t as many of us out there but ignoring the Mac user base is a huge mistake. Mac users are always on the cutting edge and your Mac client for Skype should be too. At least some kind of post about when Mac users can expect an upgrade would be nice. People only hate one thing more than bad news and that’s no news at all. Give us Mac users a little bit of information on when we can expect an update to the Mac version of Skype, please. Much appreciated.
This is indeed some good news. Have been trying to get my contacts to move from MSN to Skype. It’s an uphill battle, but with Facebook integration, this may be easier. Two things come to my mind:
1. Why is Facebook chat not included as part of the Facebook Connect integration? Is it slated for a later release? Just being able to call phone numbers listed in a contacts profile seems a limited use of what has great potential.
2. How about free voicemail? Allowing users to not only call their friends from Facebook, but also to leave them voicemail would drive adoption of Skype through the roof. Then Skype could garner more revenue through Skype credits or calling plans from those users who want to use Skype to call their Facebook friends’ phone numbers.
Guys, check “Help”-> “About Skype”.
If you have 5.0.0.123 – then your verions is 5, but “beta”.
Facebook tab appeared in 5th “final” verison, which is 5.0.0.152
So, have fun
Just installed the new version.
Why am I seeing my own webcam image mirrored, and how can I change that back to normal?!?
(Changed it temporarily in the webcam settings themselves, but then the callee saw the mirrored image.)
Yeah no Mac version for this big Facebook roll out? Disappointing. Slightly off topic, but still no video calling on iPhone 4 client either. Yahoo beat you to mobile video. YAHOO!!! The dysfunctional misfits beat you at your own game. Very sad.
Skype has a very bad and ridiculas Mac app. I don’t know why Skype doesn’t make it better like windows. I thing Skype programmers are very lazy. No good Mac app, No iPad app, No supporting video calls on iPhones. I am gonna hate you Skype.
Please update the Linux version, it is really out of date and we use it heavily! We appreciate the work you put into Skype, but features should eventually make it to other platforms other than Windows, and right now Linux has stagnated with zero development!
I’d like to see all these features in the Mac version too…
Can i upload the Google Chrome Extension to Extension Gallery? chrome.google.com/extensions Maybe so it will be more public
Or you wanna upload it?
A shame. I think at least Mac and linux versions should be merged to have a single Qt application to develop (Qt is crossplatform). It could even share codebase for a new Symbian skype client based on Qt (if you want to have an app for the upcoming Symbian^4 it will have to be in Qt).
I’m not even talking about open-sourcing it (which would make it go as default in all linux distros, would hhave a lot of free developers and you would still earn money with credits), but non-windows versions should be treated with a little more love. I’m not even asking for a 64-bit version (a simple rebuild…).
I think it’s time to find skype alternatives.
I can’t get 5.0, it still downloads 4.2. I have seen other comments saying “dont worry, it is really 5.0″ but none of the new features are available? What is going on?
Waiting Skype for Mac OS X and for iPhone/iPad.
Thanks.
mac version badly needed.
mac version badly needed.
Where are the updates for the Mac? Otherwise, this isn’t news
Have you ever paid attention to the most successful and highly valued company in the world? That’s right. That would be Apple and Apple’s user base keeps evangelizing everything that is hot on the Apple. Well Skype sucks on the Apple and I will keep telling the world how much Skype sucks for not supporting the Mac.
Where is the update for Linux?? I am a paying member. Sykpe for Linux is missing many features including Voicemail!
The download page says 5.0, but the download is still 4.2 (either by running it or by looking in Properties). I’m in New Zealand if that helps your troubleshooting.
YEAH; it’d be great to have Multiple Video Conference especially for my VPodcasting! =D
Keep at it SKYPE
MAC MAC MAC MAC MAC!!!!! – Come on!!!
it upsets me so much that windows users get all the skype updates… im thinking about leaving skype all together and go to oovoo…. come on dammit give us mac users something
Please update (or give a timeframe est) for Mac.
iPad/iPhone too!
The Mac App looks nicer than the Windows (including new version) but has crazy-less features…
So, and what is with Skype for Linux? I think the project is dead. Questions about Skype for Linux will be ignored, no answers, nothing. The Linux Skype Blog is bad old. It seems to be simple to ignore all questions about a new Linux Version instead of to build a new version for Linux or answer some questions. Congratulation for that!
Yeah it’s great, but hellooooo. Where is the MAC version? We are your customers too and I top up my skype regularly to call friends and family, you alienating me is not going to make me want to spend more money with skype.
Seriously.. WTF ? Everyday I just keep on hearing about updates to Windows skype version. What about the mac version ? Adobe ignored the mac platform for long and see where it landed… It is about time you guys wake up !!
fuck tom skype !!!!!
Lucky that registered users such as myself can deactivate the facebook tab.
Otherwise, I’d have cancelled my account and gone looking for an alternative to Skype.
Clue to Skype developers: a) not everyone thinks the sun shines out of Zuckerberg’s behind and b) it is not a “major” feature upgrade if you integrate an existing platform.
“4.3_plus_time-wasting_integration_of privacy-abusing_data_marketing_service” would have been a more accurate (if longer) release title.
I’m having problems syncing with Facebook – won’t recognise my password. Anyone else having the same problem? Please add me to your skype if you can help.
Why is not there skype 5 for linux / mac?
The ideal would be to develop Skype for both platforms: Windows, Mac and Linux!
Why is the linux / mac is so discriminated in that respect? Why only windows have updates for skype ?
Skype 2.x for Linux / Mac is the last century, old, unattractive-looking
There is not even 3 or 4 skype for linux / mac!
This is unfortunate!
There will be a new version for Linux / Mac?