Microsoft today issued a pair of updates to Skype's messaging, VoIP and video calling apps in the App Store.
While the apps continue to be separate downloads on iOS rather than a universal binary (come on, Microsoft!), Skype for iPhone has gained useful 3D Touch actions available both from the Home screen and within the app itself.
In addition, both editions of Skype have picked up improved conversation and contact management, as well as ghostly Halloween video message filters and emoticons.
At long last, iOS is allowing app makers to implement text replies in notifications, a feature Apple used to reserve exclusively for its Messages app.
Twitter was the first App Store app to gain this great time-saver of a feature. On iOS 9.1, WhatsApp for iPhone now supports a handy text field for quickly replying to incoming messages without leaving the app you're currently using.
This feature requires an iPhone with iOS 9.1 or later.
Facebook-owned WhatsApp messaging platform has received an update today, bringing support for 3D Touch gestures on new iPhones to the popular software.
The new WhatsApp 2.2.18 allows you to press in-app content harder to Peek and Pop pictures, videos, links, contacts cards and locations in chats. Home screen shortcuts via 3D Touch are not available yet in this release.
In addition, the app's interface is now mirrored and optimized for right-to-left languages on iPhones running iOS 9.0 or later.
Microsoft-owned Skype for iPad was refreshed in the App Store earlier this morning with support for new multitasking features provided by iOS 9. It's now easier to chat with friends on Skype while surfing the web, reading your email or running other apps in side-by-side Split View multitasking mode (requires iPad Air 2 or iPad mini 4).
In addition to Split View, Skype for iPad also supports Slide Over mode. Both instant messaging and voice calling are supported in Split View and Slide Over.
Viber's free mobile application for the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad was updated earlier today in the App Store with four new features. Bumping the version number to 5.6, the new Viber for iOS lets you express yourself in a more detailed manner than before with support for 7,000 characters long text messages.
In addition, you can now like messages in group chats, forward the contents of public chats and take advantage of better video messaging features that improve your experience.
Are you plagued with various Skype issues, such as the inability to place VoIP calls, update your status or send instant messages? Are all of your Skype contacts showing as offline? Don't worry, you're not alone.
According to a support document published Monday morning, many people are reporting issues with Skype status and calling and Microsoft is working on a fix.
“We're doing everything we can to fix this issue and hope to have another update for you soon,” the company wrote. “Thank you for your patience as we work to get this incident resolved.”
Microsoft-owned Skype on Thursday announced a major redesign of its mobile application for the iPhone, iPad and Android devices. The new Skype 6.0 for iPhone and Skype 6.0 for iPad (still two separate downloads) features a sleeker look that the company says was “built for both the iPhone and iPad,” includes simpler navigation, a more powerful search and improved multi-tasking when switching between call and chat screens.
Tuesday, Facebook-owned Instagram launched some notable improvements for its private-messaging feature, called Instagram Direct.
Available in Instagram's 7.5 update, a free download in the App Store, Instagram Direct now supports threaded conversations and allows you to pick a photo from a user's feed to send to a friend or group privately as a Direct message.
Viber for iPhone was refreshed this morning in the App Store with improved spam handling. I've noticed an increase of spam messages on Viber lately as I've been regularly getting spam messages from seemingly random people telling me I've won a free iPhone or some fishy contest prize.
While Viber offers the ability to block unwanted contacts from messaging you, this update should help sort out the influx of spam on the service.
No other changes are mentioned for Viber 5.5.1, a free download from the App Store.
Just like the recently introduced standalone Facebook Messenger web app, Google's Hangouts service now runs in a browser. Taking advantage of modern web technologies, the Hangouts desktop web app can now live inside Google's Chrome, Apple's Safari, Mozilla's Firefox and other modern browsers, no app install required whatsoever.
Try it out at hangouts.google.com and let us know what you think in the comments.
Two months into the announcement that it would remove the archaic 140-character limit from Direct Messages, Twitter today officially made the move in the hope of taking on popular instant messaging platforms like Facebook Messenger, Skype, iMessage and others.
For people who use Direct Messages to communicate with their Twitter followers privately, this change couldn't have come sooner because they can now chat on in a single Direct Message without restrictions and “likely still have some characters left over.”
If you're a Snapchat fan and a frequent traveller who doesn't use the service abroad due to exorbitant international data roaming charges (or are simply on a budget plan), Snapchat has some good news for you.
Their latest update, now live in the App Store, brings an all-new Travel mode designed specifically to reduce mobile data usage when roaming. In addition to Travel mode, Snapchat's iPhone application now lets you see who viewed your Story and puts more emoji characters at your fingertips.