Microsoft has published an updated version of the Skype for Windows Phone 8 preview app. Changes in version 2.1 include an updated chat keyboard (improved auto complete), the labelling of buddies from Windows Live Messenger (useful for those who have merged their Skype and Microsoft accounts), added an option to enable toast notifications for Windows Live Messenger buddies, and temporary removal of the People Hub integration.
However, the most welcome changes are improvements in the reliability of presence, chat, and call notifications when the app is running in the background. Skype also say that calling and chat reliability has been improved.
The removal of the People Hub integration, which the Skype team says will return in the future release, underlines the preview nature of the app, but also suggests Microsoft has had some difficulty in implementing the feature. It's not the best advertisement for the platform and it seems likely an update to to the core platform software will be required before the feature can be re-introduced.
Here's the change log from Skype:
Updated chat keyboard with improved autocomplete/autocorrect is now available.
Buddies from Windows Live Messenger are labeled in the People list.
Added option to enable toast notifications for Windows Live Messenger buddies.
