infoTECH Feature

October 16, 2014

Microsoft Rolls out First Version of New, Free Video Chat App

Microsoft recently introduced Skype Qik, a new, free communications app for Android, iPhone and Windows Phone (News - Alert) devices.

A part of the Skype family, the new video chat app is available worldwide in 21 languages for all three platforms.

Officials said that all three versions of the app are downloadable from the Google Play Store, Apple (News - Alert) App Store and Windows Phone Store.

“The intention of the application is to address the part of the mobile market that is moving away from scheduled, one-to-one communications, said Principal Program Manager Lead Dan Chastney. With Skype (News - Alert) Qik, "we wanted to maintain intimacy between Skype calls and wanted to be as lightweight and convenient as SMS and IM," Chasney said.

In order to receive Skype Qik (News - Alert) video messages, the users don’t need to have Skype. All that is needed to communicate is a mobile phone number.

If a user has Skype Qik installed they get a notification within the app when a message is received.

When the new video chat app is not installed, the user receives a SMS with a link that offers a download for the app. The message will be waiting once the app is installed, said the officials.

The short Qik messages, up to 42 seconds in length, self-destruct after two weeks. Users have the option of changing their minds and erasing any video they've sent from a chat, whether it has been watched or not.

In case a user wants, he or she can also block contacts on Android phones and Windows Phones, a feature which will be available on iPhones "in the coming months."

They also have the option of sending pre-recorded Qik Fliks, which are up-to-five-second GIF-like video messages.

The company further revealed that no contact information is stored in Microsoft (News - Alert)'s or any other company's cloud. 




Edited by Maurice Nagle
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