Microsoft has just announced Skype for Web, a browser-based web app that will allow anyone (maybe?) to use Skype using only a browser.

Until now, if you wanted to use Skype on your desktop, you had to download and install Skype software on your Windows or Mac computer. For those using a public computer at a library or café without Skype installed, well – no Skype for you.

Web apps run in a browser and are device agnostic. So this will be a real game changer for Skype, making access as easy as opening a browser, going to web.skype.com, and signing in. Of course, if you do that right now you’ll just see this:

It’s not ready for prime time yet, and Microsoft isn’t saying exactly when except that it’ll be a gradual roll-out. If you’d like to be a part of the beta, sign into your account at skype.com and see if you happen to snag an invite.

Web apps are great since they don’t require users to download updates. The blog release leaves Chromebook users in limbo-land though. In the list of supported browsers, Chrome is mentioned as supported on Windows, leaving Chrome users on other devices to just wonder.