Microsoft has started rolling out a preview version of Skype for Outlook.com that allows audio and video calls to be made from your inbox. The browser based version of Skype complements the already available desktop and mobile versions of the service. From today it is available in the UK, and will be made available in the United States and Germany in the "coming weeks", before rolling out globally in the "coming months".

Once it is available for their account users will automatically be notified the next time they log into to their Outlook.com account. The integration requires a one-time browser plug-in download (supports Internet Explorer, Chrome, and Firefox) and you will need to link Skype to your Microsoft account (which will add your Skype contacts to Outlook.com). Skype functionality is integrated via the existing messaging portion of Outlook.com, although calls can also be initiated directly from an individual email.

For Windows Phone users the arrival of Skype for Outlook.com provides an additional benefit to using the Microsoft-powered service. Microsoft is seeking to building a comprehensive, cohesive and integrated set of communications tools for the consumer that operator across multiple platforms and devices. Outlook.com already provides a decent email, contacts, and calendar service, and the integration with Skype adds a real-time communications element to the mix. Or, as the Skype blog puts it, "Microsoft is creating yet another way for you to connect to the people you care about most".

Wehther the addition of Skype integration is enough to make users switch from competing services is open to debate, but there's it is a sensible addition to the Outlook.com experience and underlines the breadth of both Microsoft's assets and ambitions in the communications space.

From the Skype blog:

With the preview version of Skype for Outlook.com you can enjoy Skype video and audio calls right from your inbox — less typing, more talking!  For those of you that aren’t familiar, Outlook.com is a free personal email service from Microsoft. In the first six months after launch, Outlook.com attracted 60 million new users, making it the fastest-growing email service in history.

Even with the best email service, sometimes text isn’t enough. We all face those situations where it’s just easier to jump on a call to talk something through. Sometimes that quick call can accomplish more than a long email reply. That’s why we are bringing Skype audio and video calling to your Outlook.com inbox. Now, with Skype for Outlook.com, you can choose the right medium for your message, whether it is an email, call, video call or instant message (IM) — you can connect with your Skype and Messenger friends all in the same place.