Skype for Windows Phone adds People List Filter, improves Home Screen

Microsoft has released Skype for Windows Phone 2.9, an update to its popular video and audio messaging tool for Windows Phone users. Version 2.9 ships with two notable changes, an improved Home Screen and new People List Filter.

The People List Filter has been implemented as a direct result of user feedback, with Microsoft responding to user wishes to have the option of splitting Windows Phone contacts from Skype contacts in the Skype People List.

With version 2.9 users can now filter this view to show all contacts, Skype contacts only or just available contacts. It also comes with an improved home screen that allows users to pivot through app functions. In addition, the Favorite Contact tiles have been made smaller to allow three to be seen on-screen at once.

The update is rounded off with the usual unspecified performance tweaks and general bug fixes, and follows a week after both Mac and Windows desktop versions were updated to version 6.7.

Skype for Mac 6.7 came with an overhauled search tool that makes finding conversations, contacts and phone numbers simpler than ever. The new build also resolved a number of issues include one that saw messages sent to a Facebook contact showing up more than once.

The Windows build, Skype for Desktop 6.7, was a more minor refresh, promising a sharper user interface with support for high-contrast mode to go with a number of -- again -- unspecified improvements and fixes.

Skype for Windows Phone 2.9, Skype for Mac 6.7 and Skype for Desktop 6.7 are all available as free downloads for the relevant platforms, along with Skype for iPhone 4.9, Skype for iPad 4.9 and Skype for Android 4.0.