Skype 4.0 for Android launches - 'rebuilt from the ground up'

Messaging platform celebrates 100 million Android installs with all-new app

Skype for Android is getting a major update today, bringing the app up to version 4.0 with a major redesign. The app, which Skype says recently passed 100 million installs, has been completely redesigned to be more consistent with other platforms' versions. (That is to say it's looking a lot more Windows 8-like as of this latest update.)

The new app features a cleaner "conversation-first" UI, putting greater emphasis on instant messaging. In addition, you can now tab through different areas of the app, and change tabs using swipe gestures. But the changes are apparently more than skin deep, as Skype says it's been "rebuilt from the ground up" to be faster and more reliable.

The Microsoft-owned messaging platform promises further improvements to the Skype app for Android in the future. In the meantime, you can grab today's update from the Google Play Store.

Update: Skype buried the options to sign out, as well as the settings menu. By popular request, here's where to find them.

Source: Skype

Alex Dobie
Executive Editor

Alex was with Android Central for over a decade, producing written and video content for the site, and served as global Executive Editor from 2016 to 2022.