Popular video calling service Skype has renewed its mobile efforts with a new version of the app for the iPhone, redesigned from the ground up and packed with features. Skype 5.0 for iPhone looks and feels like the Android and Windows Phone apps now, and has been customized to fit iOS.

Skype claims that the new app makes it five times faster to share stuff that inspires you. Apart from plain text chat, you can also send emojis, audio messages and video messages. And of course, since this is Skype, video calling remains at the heart of it. Pair all of this with the right subscriptions and you can ditch your home line forever.

The whole app has been redesigned with a focus on swiping, so you can swipe back and forth between "Recent", "Favorites" and "People" to find out what people have been saying. It's easy to start a group chat, and you can share photos in a snap. Here are the changes, as noted by Skype on its blog.

Faster: You'll notice the effort we've put into this overhaul as soon as you launch Skype 5.0 for iPhone. The new version is over 5 times faster than the old version.

Smoother: As you swipe from conversations through to your favorites and then back to your contacts lists, you'll notice how smooth scrolling and transitioning from screen to screen is – with delightful little pops and animations punctuating them. All without degrading the performance and battery improvements we worked so hard to achieve.

More Integrated: Now, iPhone users can start group chats from the hub. And when you send messages or photos, it doesn't matter if the recipient is offline. Everyone will see your message as soon as they are available again.

Smarter: We know our users are using Skype on multiple devices, and we want to make sure your Skype notifications keep pace with your conversations, no matter where they happen. Now, as you read your messages on your PC, tablet, Xbox and so on, those conversations will be marked as read (or unread if new messages come in) on your iPhone too.

Skype isn't yet a part of our list of the best iPhone apps, but this new update makes it a contender.

Right now, Skype 5.0 is available only for the iPhone and an iPad version will be released soon. Of course, Skype is still a paid service beyond a point, but there are some great free alternatives.

Download: Skype 5.0 for iPhone

Source: Skype Blog [No Longer Available]