Skype nixes plug-in requirement for web-based chats
You'll need Microsoft Edge to use it, but support for Chrome and Firefox is in the works.
Skype for Web offers a handy way to bring your chats and calls to your browser. However, to us it on the web, you had to install a plug-in or extension before you could make audio or video calls. As of today, those extras are no longer a requirement, making good on a promise the company made back in 2014. With the Microsoft Edge browser, Skype for Web won't make you install a plug-in to communicate via audio or video. And yes, group chats are included as well.
Skype says it's working to bring the extension-free workflow to Chrome and Firefox, and will do so when those browsers work with the H.264 video codec. In addition to reducing the annoyance of having to install a software add-on to get Skype up and running in your browser, plug-in free support also opens up the ability for the full service to be used on devices like Chromebooks. This new version is available for preview starting today, but the company plans to roll it out to all Edge users by the end of the month.
