Today Microsoft announced the beta launch of Skype for Web, a project to bring completely plugin-free calling to all major browsers. Microsoft has made the new service “available to small number of existing and new users to begin with,” and will be “gradually rolling out worldwide in the coming months.”
The new service, which is powered by the Web Real-Time Communication (WebRTC) standard is available on the Skype website but it’s not yet complete, so you’ll have to download a plugin “for now” until the WebRTC standard is added to the Internet Explorer browser.
Skype for web will eventually work across all major browsers
Eventually, the service will work in all major browsers, including IE, Chrome, Firefox, and Safari.
Skype for Web makes it quicker and easier than ever before to connect with friends, family and colleagues around the world, for free – directly from Skype.com, the company said. It’s perfect if you prefer using the web rather than an app: perhaps you’re sitting at a computer that doesn’t already have Skype downloaded. Or maybe you’re on the go and using an internet café or hotel computer whilst on vacation where you can’t download Skype at all. Using Skype for Web makes it more convenient to get to your conversations.
WebRTC is an open project that lets Internet users communicate in real-time via voice and video simply by using a WebRTC-compatible browser and enables Web app developers to include real-time video calling and data sharing capabilities in their products.
What do you think of Skype for Web so far?