Skype has a new plan for staying in the game — let anyone use its service, even those who don't have an account.
With the continued popularity of messaging apps like WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger, it's a pretty competitive field.
So in order to keep users on the platform and maybe bring in some new ones, Skype is allowing anyone to join a group chat via a unique shared link.
People who already have Skype can send a link to a friend, and that friend can hop into the chat through their Web browser without having to download the Skype app.
Mobile users can't send the invite link just yet, but they can still join. Microsoft says the ability to send invites is coming to mobile soon.
It's easy to see how this opens up Skype for a much broader audience. People no longer have to worry if everyone has the same chat platform before trying to communicate with family members or set up a discussion with co-workers. (Video via Skype)
Microsoft hasn't said how many people use Skype a day but has said that 3 billion minutes — or some 95 years of calls — are made each day.
This video includes images from Getty Images.
