Skype group video calls are now free for Windows, Mac and Xbox One users

By Konrad Krawczyk Published April 28, 2014

If you’re a Skype user that users the voice/video chatting service on either Windows, Mac OS X or Xbox One, you’re in luck. Skype group video calling is now free on all three platforms as of today, Microsoft announced via an official blog post.

Prior to Redmond’s decision to make group video calls free on Skype, the option was already available, but only to Premium Skype users on Windows, Mac, and Xbox One.

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Due in part to Microsoft’s decision to make a Premium feature free, interestingly enough, the site’s Premium page currently states that Microsoft has removed Premium for the time being in order to “give it a refresh.” However, the ability to make calls internationally is still available.

It’s unclear what Skype Premium will look like once the refresh is complete. With Skype group video calling, you can have up to 10 people on a single call at the same time.

If you use Skype but with a platform other than Windows, Mac OS X or the Xbox One, you’re not totally out of luck. Microsoft also revealed that while group calling for Skype is free for only these three platforms at the moment, they said that they’ll be making group video calling free for additional platforms at some point as well.

However, at this time, there’s no timetable for when that will take place, and it’s currently unknown which other devices/operating systems will get the free Skype group video calling treatment next.

What do you think? Sound off in the comments below.

Konrad Krawczyk

Former Computing Editor

Konrad covers desktops, laptops, tablets, sports tech and subjects in between for Digital Trends. Prior to joining DT, he…

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