It appears that Skype will be getting quite an overhaul this holiday season. The Verge is reporting that the popular video calling software will be getting a visual update to fit in with the new Windows 8 OS.

Citing unnamed “sources familiar with Skype’s plans,” The Verge states that Skype is now testing a new UI for all platforms. The new interface is “metro-inspired,” referring to the tile-based interface of Windows 8. A shift toward this design can already be seen in the newest beta version of the client.

In addition to aesthetic changes, it is also rumored that Skype will be getting a video messaging service. The feature will allow Skype users to leave a video message for their contacts, who can the watch it the next time they log on, the same way a voicemail or text would be received. The Verge points out that this is a similar feature to the now-defunct Windows Live Video Messages. Video messaging is rumored to be coming “in time for the holidays” along with an outlook.com integration feature.

All of this points to the fact that Microsoft is now fully in control of Skype’s future and sees it as an integral part of its new OS strategy. The Skype client has not changed dramatically since Microsoft acquired it last year, but that appears to now be changing.