Microsoft has announced updates for its video-calling app Skype for both Android and iOS as well as for its Skype Qik video app.
As part of the update, the Android Skype 5.3 version has received a new bubble-style chat layout, same as seen on the desktop and iPhone Skype apps. In addition to sending Skype emoticons, Android users will now also be able to send emojis. Furthermore, if an emoticon is the only thing the user is sending in a message, Skype will now display a large, animated version to make it stand out.
The update also brings speech to text conversion feature, which works when connected to Android Auto. Other changes from the Android update include no auto-scrolling of chats resulting in easier catching up on an active conversation, viewing and changing of avatars from all group chats and making users enter login information again after logging out. This feature will be helpful for those who use multiple Skype accounts.
Meanwhile, Skype 5.12 update for iOS will add support for 12 new languages in the coming weeks, including Croatian, Slovak, Catalan, Vietnamese, Hindi, Thai, Greek, Hungarian, Indonesian, Malay, Turkish, and Estonian.
The Skype Qik 1.5 update for iOS, Android, and Windows will offer as many as eight new effects including mirror, x-ray, Minecraft, hearts, and snow. Users will now be able to easily switch from one to another while recording to include multiple effects in one video message.
Skype 5.3 for Android is currently available for download in the Google Play store, while Skype 5.12 for iPhone will launch in the App Store in the coming few weeks.
Qik 1.5 is also now available for download in the App Store, Google Play, and the Windows store.
