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Skype for Android update includes floating chat outside of app

A brand new Microsoft update for Skype for Android is including some new features as well as general improvements for users. The most notable addition in this update includes what Skype says is the first Android app to offer a “picture in picture window that lets you see your video call even when you switch away to other applications.”

Unfortunately, the picture-in-picture feature is currently only available for Android tablets but we can only hope that Skype brings this to smartphones in the future.

We’re very proud to share our first tablet breakthrough with you: Skype is the first Android application to offer a picture in picture window that lets you see your video call even when you switch away to other applications. In the spirit of wanting to provide a common Skype experience across as many OSes as possible, our Android team sought out a way to develop an experience similar to Windows 8′s Snap View, but with an Android twist. Now you can multitask while you’re on Skype video calls, as well as audio calls.

In addition to the picture-in-picture feature, Skype 4.5 includes several bug fixes and quality improvements:

  • Improved Video Instant Messaging functionality overall, including fixes on latest Samsung phones
  • Added compatibility for the Hudl tablet
  • Fixed crashes on the Nexus 5
  • Drop down filter selections on the people tab are now persistent

The update is available now in the Play Store.

Image Credit: Robert Scoble

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