Skype 5.8 gets Mountain Lion upgrade

Skype has launched a new, OS X Mountain Lion ready version of its VoIP and video calling app for Mac, with improved screen sharing but no mention of Retina Display readiness. Skype 5.8 for Mac now allows premium subscribers to see both video calling and screen sharing simultaneously, "so that you can see the reaction of the person or people you're sharing with" (perfect for those shock & awe PowerPoint sessions).

It also brings various improvements to the app's UI, including a more compact contacts monitor, resizable contact list columns, and the addition of SMS sending from the contextual menu. There's also a new keyboard shortcut for volume control  (cmd+opt+up/down), along with more accurate orientation flipping when on calls with mobile users.

There are also a few bugfixes, as you'd expect, though the biggest change is that the app is now ready for Mountain Lion. Skype makes no mention of Retina Display support for the new MacBook Pro, which suggests it may take a little longer for that to arrive.

You can download Skype 5.8 for Mac here.