‘Microsoft’ Raises The Bar Yet Again: Unveils A Remarkable New ‘Skype’ Update

Microsoft has introduced a remarkable new Skype update aiming to hoist itself to greater heights by altering the face of the chat app into something far more sophisticated. The software giant has recently unveiled a game-changing Skype update that will transform it into a commanding platform for interacting with other apps.

According to reports, the new update will enable Microsoft’s virtual assistant Cortana and other third-party apps to seamlessly integrate with Skype.

With a huge surge in mobile apps in recent times, downloading, setting up, and managing a large number of newly introduced apps can be an exasperating prospect for many phone users, owing to many accessibility constraints. As a consequence, users end up confining themselves to a mere handful of user apps. The introduction of “messaging apps” provides users with access to tons of apps on one solitary platform.

Referred to as “Skype Bots,” the new feature allows for a way to painlessly integrate third-party services into Skype messaging. Microsoft’s idea is to introduce features that may enable users to manage travel, shopping, and entertainment all on the Skype platform by interacting with “virtual bots.” These automated Skype Bots are programmed to communicate in similar ways as users do and are able to interact with other users on a platform created by Microsoft’s Bot Framework. This framework is designed enable app developers to employ bots for integrating with other communication services.

According to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella the idea is to simply redefine the very concept of communication.

“We want all of these conversational tools to become rich canvases for computation. Bots are like new applications that you converse with; you’re not really looking for multiple applications, or pages and pages of websites,”

Not too long ago, Facebook announced that it planned to introduce a digital assistant for its Messenger app. The introduction was to provide far-reaching communication benefits for users intending to employ multiple apps with a certain degree of convenience. According to the company, Microsoft’s very own virtual assistant “Cortana,” is set to lead the way forward in communications technology, efficiency, and output, as well as e-commerce. Users will be able to make purchases, book hotel reservations, access stock markets, manage banking and utilities, shop, make travel arrangements, and carry out commercial transactions through the core platform of the messaging app.

Currently, Skype is a software application that mainly enables Skype users to make free voice and video calls between themselves as well as chat on-line. However, calls to both traditional land line telephones and mobile phones can be made for a charge. Microsoft acquired Skype Communications in May 2011 for $8.5 billion.

Earlier this year, Microsoft announced the acquisition of the assets of Event Zero, an Australian vendor of management software for Skype for Business, setting its sights on reinventing the concept of productivity and modern-day communication. According to Corporate Vice President of Skype for Business Engineering Zig Serafin, the idea was to launch Skype for Business Management Tools to a point where it is as efficient and user-friendly for professionals as Skype is for individual users.

“In the future, using the technology acquired today, we will be able to add strong diagnostics and troubleshooting capabilities with even more extensive reporting and analytics for online audio, video conferencing and media streams, all within a unified management and admin system,”

Microsoft is a world-leading force in software and continues to exercise dominance in the world of software development, with nearly 85 percent of all its revenues contributed by software alone. Statistics suggest that the company’s overall revenues dwarf those of its nearest competitors. According to the company, the Skype Bots feature is currently restricted to messaging only. However, Microsoft plans to incorporate the feature into its audio and video calling any-time soon.

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