Skype has now successfully caught up to Google Hangouts, allowing users to now engage in group video calls for free.
The service will be free of charge on Windows Desktop, Mac and Xbox One starting from today, with it no longer being exclusively included as part of Skype’s Premium package. This will be a blow to Google Hangouts, which has up until this point had the upper hand on Skype in this regard due to it always hosting group video calls for free.
Speaking to TechRadar, general manager of consumer marketing at Skype Phillip Snalune said: “We felt that the time was right. We feel there’s a healthy use case for group communications and it’s something that we wanted to refresh and renew our commitment to.
“If you think about what else is free on Skype – IM, one-to-one video calling – I think there’s an underlying expectation that there’s a significant use case for free communications associated with the Skype platform.”
Mobile and other Skype platforms will also be getting the service for free, though not just yet. Skype will reveal the exact dates soon.
