Microsoft is Testing Skype Group Calls for Up to 50 People

Microsoft is planning to increase the maximum number of people who could be part of a Skype group call from 25 to 50 members. To recall, Skype got free group video calling on desktop back 2014, before bringing it to the Web the next year, Android, iOS, and Windows 10 Mobile the year after that, and finally introducing up to 25 participants less than a year ago. Now, the company has announced tests for group video calling up to 50 participants, with the latest version of Skype available in its beta programme.

Keeping the call ringing feature completely optional, Skype version 8.41.76.55 would notify users of an incoming call by just sending a notification on the group. These features have been made available for Insider Preview beta testers on all platforms and are likely roll out more broadly later.
"When you start a call in groups, it will send a notification instead of ringing all the members, to not interrupt those who can't join," the company wrote in a blog post.

With this update, Skype is also enabling the audio and video buttons in larger groups to let users easily mute their microphones or turn their webcams on or off as per their convenience, Engadget reported on Friday.
Earlier this month, Microsoft announced the rollout of a new version of new version of that brought HD video calling, apart from call recording, a notifications panel, easy search, the Chat Media Gallery. Notably though, these feature were only available for Google Chromeand Microsoft Edge, missing out on support for browsers like Safari and Firefox, apart from platforms like Linux.

March 16, 2019