Microsoft is fixing its broken status options for the new Skype

Microsoft’s last big update to Skype was received by the world as well as an ant on a picnic table, for many different reasons. One of those reasons was the nature of the changes to Skype’s traditional status feature. Rather than show who was online or active, Skype acted like a text message app in that it wouldn’t show the activity dot (green dot), and assumed everyone was always active.

In response to the outright avalanche of feedback, Microsoft has fixed many of the issues people had with the new status features (or the lack of said status features)

• Let me change my status. You can now set your presence from your avatar.
• I want to be invisible. Added more presence options.
• Show me my status. You can now always see the status you are showing others.
• I cannot see who is online, make the green dot bigger! Made the presence indicators on your contacts larger.

Skype version 8.8.76.61480 for iOS, Android, Linux, Mac, and Windows Desktop features these updates in Preview form (as I understand it), and the UWP app for Windows 10 S devices and Mobile phones will get this changes sometime soon.

Let’s be clear, Microsoft’s new Skype rollout was an absolute disaster. While I personally liked it, I don’t use Skype much, the people who do, find it distasteful as the app’s diminished app store standing demonstrates clearly. It’s good to see Microsoft responding quickly to customer feedback, though it remains to be seen how –or even if –they can move Skype forward without alienating their most loyal customers.