Facebook and Vine were just the beginning -- you should have known that. Especially once the biggest social network in the world started dipping its toes in the VoIP pool. Skype isn't about to let others encroach on its hard won territory without a fight. The Microsoft-owned messaging platform has started testing what amounts to a video voicemail feature on OS X, Android and iOS, something that had already been hinted at in its updated TOS. Why those operating systems at first, without any word about Windows or Windows Phone, we're unsure. But it's a safe bet Redmond's own platforms will get the feature sooner rather than later. Currently users in the US and UK should be seeing the option, just dig a bit as it might be hidden behind a more actions or overflow icon, as it is on Android. Customers are getting 20 free video messages to start, though we weren't able to wrangle any further details out of the company regarding pricing.
(Update: While we still have some unanswered questions regarding pricing, Skype did say that unlimited voice messaging will be included as part of a premium subscription.)
(Update 2: A Skype spokesperson reached out to us with the following statement about availability:
"Users in these markets across all Windows desktop and mobile platforms can receive messages, too. We will have send capability in Windows by end of April. In the meantime, we continue to test this new feature in its early release."
April isn't ideal, but it's better than nothing.)
Filed under: Internet, Software, Mobile, Microsoft
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The Skype team doesn't have it easy these days -- it not only has to compete with legions of live chat apps, but also the back-and-forth video messaging of Snapchat. What's it going to do? Fight on Snapchat's home turf, apparently. Microsoft has...
