Skype for Android updated to 4.4; brings new UI design to tablets

Skype has released a new version of its Android app, 4.4, that brings the recently launched new UI design to Android based tablets for the first time, including the new Kindle Fire HDX tablets.

Hot on the heels of Microsoft updating its iOS app for Skype to include a new iOS 7 interface, a new version of the Android app is now available for download that will bring a new interface for Android-based tablets.

Microsoft previously released a new look for the Android Skype app in July that made the UI look more like the Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 versions. Today's new 4.4 version release extends that new look to the many Android tablets out in the marketplace, including the upcoming Kindle Fire HDX products from Amazon.

The official Skype blog states:

Tablet users will now see a new interface that puts conversations first, displaying your most recent calls and chats. You will also enjoy all the quality and performance advancements that the total rewrite of version 4.0 brought to phone users.

The new 4.4 Android version also brings some improvements in Skype video chat, which the Skype team claims will give users up to four times the video resolution compared to older versions of the app. The update also has a number of bug fixes and improvements, including full support for the TalkBack screen reader, some changes to audio routing, some display and interface improvements when a device switches its orientation, and some fixes for incoming call bugs, including one that was causing some Android phones to reboot.

Source: Skype | Image via Skype