Skype

We asked you lovely folks what apps you were using to stay connected to friends and family while social distancing, and there were two clear winners: Skype and WhatsApp.

Microsoft will keep the Skype app around even as Microsoft Teams grows in popularity for consumers.

With more people staying home, Skype usage is up by quite a bit.

The federation between Microsoft Teams and the consumer version of Skype is just around the corner. Once it's rolled out, users on both services will be able to message and call each other.

Several Microsoft services have access issues right now, including Outlook.com, OneDrive, and Skype. Microsoft is "rerouting the impacted traffic to mitigate impact."

According to a recent update in a Skype forum, Microsoft still plans to bring usernames back to the service. A Community Manager states that they're "in progress" but face blocks at the moment.

The latest Skype Insider build has a new feature that makes it easy to invite anyone to a Skype call, including people who don't have Skype accounts.

Skype for Business Online will be retired in two years. Microsoft is pushing users towards Microsoft Teams leading up to the retirement.

The latest update to Skype brings support Translated Conversations on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, and the web. The feature replaces the Skype translator bot and supports 11 languages.

All of Skype's new features are focused on productivity, Microsoft says.