News

Skype dropping unpopular Snapchat-like Highlights feature

Microsoft admits the feature ‘didn’t resonate with a majority of users’.
Microsoft admits the feature ‘didn’t resonate with a majority of users’. Microsoft admits the feature ‘didn’t resonate with a majority of users’.

Skype is going back to basics with its design after users didn’t take to its Snapchat-like Highlights feature.

The Microsoft-owned app admitted that Highlights “didn’t resonate with a majority of users” and was refocusing its approach.

“This past year we explored some design changes and heard from customers that we overcomplicated some of our core scenarios,” said Peter Skillman, director of design for Skype and Outlook.

Skype
Skype Skype (Microsoft)

“We needed to take a step back and simplify.”

As part of a tone down to visuals, the navigation is being simplified across all versions of the app, with the mobile app slimming down to three buttons for chats, calls and contacts.

It is the second time Skype has listened to user feedback within the last four weeks, after it backtracked on a decision to discontinue Skype Classic earlier in August.

“Based on customer feedback, we are extending support for Skype 7 [Skype classic] for some time,” the company said at the time.

Users of the Highlights feature have been told they have until September 30 to download them.