Skype is a multifunctional and freely distributed messenger that supports text and voice communication, video calls and chats between computers, smartphones, tablets and entertainment consoles using IP telephony.
The service was first released in 2003, and since then the position of the messenger, despite criticism related to insufficient security, has only been strengthened: at the end of 2010, the developers even reported an audience of 660 million loyal followers.
But after 2010, Skype has acquired an impressive collection of additional features – automatic updates, lightning speed of information transfer, support for conferences, status settings. How much will the audience increase in the near future – that is the question!
Proposed functionality of Skype
The list of actions that Skype supports cannot be recounted, perhaps even in a few hours – too many functions have disappeared during the updates and the same number have suddenly appeared.
But, if you go through at least the “tops”, then the situation is as follows:
- Chat and voice calls, both tête-à-tête and private groups with up to 20 participants at a time.
- Video calls now make the most of webcams on computers and standard cameras on smartphones and tablets. You no longer have to look at tiny details on the screen – from now on, the image is transmitted in Full HD. Conferences are also supported – you can easily gather a family online and talk about an upcoming meeting or upcoming events.
- Like its competitors, Skype has a rich visual life. Emoticons, short videos, file and image sharing – if you really want to express the accumulated emotions, but words do not help to demonstrate even half of the feelings, then why not turn to visual visual images? The messenger will transmit everything, and even in the best possible way.
- Showing the desktop screen or selected applications works primarily on computer platforms, but even with this condition, the function is incomparable. In just a few seconds, you can demonstrate more than words say. How to register, where to copy or where to get important information – let the unnecessary questions disappear!
- Statuses determine the current state of friends and acquaintances (busy, ready to chat, out of place), and at the same time help you navigate through the appropriate notifications. It seems to be a trifle, but the possible time savings are impressive.
Skype is also amazingly friendly to beginners: instead of instructions for ten sheets, the messenger offers to slowly walk through the proposed sections and just as confidently deal with individual functions. In a few minutes, the realization of the essence will come, and then endless conversations and correspondence will begin.
Distribution and payment of additional actions
Skype messenger during the development has repeatedly expanded the list of supported platforms. If at the time of release in 2003, developers offered to communicate on computers with the Windows operating system, ten years later there was full support for Linux and MacOS, iOS and Android mobile platforms, as well as the Xbox One entertainment console and TVs working with Smart TV technology .
The listed options once again prove that from now on everyone can get through to relatives and friends, regardless of geographic location, time of day and device at hand. The only condition is to register and add contacts to the address book.
By the way, about registration: developers offer to use Skype according to the Freeware model – that is, in free mode, without subscriptions and one-time payments. Of the restrictions – advertising that appears next to chats (and in some cases also in the settings), and the need to pay if you want to communicate not using IP telephony, but directly by dialing a landline and mobile phone number.
In the latter case, you will have to top up your account in the amount of 5 to 25 dollars, or choose a suitable subscription (there are plenty of options – unlimited calls within the territory of the selected country, 500 or 1000 minutes when applying abroad). After subscribing, money is debited from the subscriber account monthly.
Feedback and Development
The reputation of the Skype messenger has changed along with the innovations that developers have introduced into the program code. With each additional feature, the public’s feedback changed in a negative direction and sometimes turned into cries for help: sometimes authorization ended with an error for unknown reasons, sometimes messages were not transmitted and hung in the client, and sometimes call rates became unaffordable for some countries.
Fortunately, by the end of 2018, the developers were able to deal with the claims and, finally, started working as usual, not forgetting a number of nice innovations:
- Subtitles. Skype learned to turn words into text recently, but the function immediately became a discovery in the genre. The transformation of what has been said occurs automatically, and even at lightning speed – without the use of separate software. Those who are used to recognizing words also visually will definitely not remain indifferent!
- Change interface and add content. Emoticons, stickers, new buttons and improved design. It will not become easier to communicate with such innovations, but there will be no more problems with navigation, and each dialogue will look more diverse.
- Injecting Alexa. The Amazon Alexa voice assistant easily supports a conversation, helps you find out the weather, and even listen to music. Unfortunately, the assistant is not yet available on the territory of the Russian Federation, but the situation will definitely change. Sooner or later.
- Cooperative interaction. Developers have long diversified communication in Skype with stickers, emoticons and GIF images, and therefore decided, in addition to new aesthetic properties, to focus on non-standard technical implementation of the plan. Through the messenger interface, it is now easy to purchase tickets for concerts, send recipes or plan a trip around the world, placing points on an interactive map with stops and attractions that you cannot miss. Friends added to the conversation will be able to comment on the added entries and attach their own ideas. Skype will become a platform that fulfills dreams and organizes information.
The Skype messenger has been developing since 2003, when some competitors in the genre were not even developed or planned yet. Oddly enough, but since the release, even taking into account the difficulties and malfunctions, the position of the legendary assistant has never changed: the public is still delighted with the interface, the logic of each action and the predictability of the results.
No unnecessary effects and transitions – only a constructive dialogue and smiles of those who are on the other side of the network cable or mobile Internet.
