Look and feel aside, user interaction is buttery-smooth and responsive, with quick, purposeful transitions between the different screens and states, and many small touches that make for a great experience. Still, Skype, which was bought out first by eBay, then by a consortium of private investors, and finally by current owner Microsoft, is still around, and its brand new version 6.0 for iOS devices has just hit the virtual shelves of Apple’s app marketplace.
That was then, of course, and much has changed since: widespread deregulation in the telecom industry has lowered prices dramatically, and a slew of other players have joined the telecommunication software industry. At a time when long-distance telephone service was still an expensive proposition, this powerful app made it possible for an entire generation of early Internet users to chat and talk with people from the other side of the world for free, regardless of the speed or type of connection they had. It wasn’t too long ago that the technology behindĪpp Store link) seemed like a short step removed from black magic. For example, the chat bubbles have almost-square corners that make is easier to view images shared through the app. Skype has a clean interface that places extreme attention to detail.