Microsoft’s latest beta of Skype for Web, announced today, brings browser-based voice and video chat worldwide. In addition, Chromebook and Linux users can now instant message using the service.
Skype for Web entered beta testing earlier this month, allowing users to instant message or chat over audio or video without downloading the Skype app. A plugin is currently required to run the video and voice calls. That plugin wasn’t designed for Linux or Chromebooks, but today’s update does allow for IM conversations in Skype for Web on those operating systems.
In the future, Microsoft plans to support WebRTC, a standard for real-time communication across browsers, which would allow Chromebook and Linux users to get the full Skype for Web experience. Users across any system will then be able to use Skype for Web without any downloads.
