Skype has gone an extra-mile to break the language barrier with its latest real-time translation feature with calls made to mobile phones and landlines. Back in 2014, the translation feature only worked for Skype-to-Skype calls.
According to The Verge, users still need three things to access the new tool - latest version of the Windows 10 Insider Program, download and install latest version of Skype Preview, and some paid Skype credits or a calling subscription since calls to landlines and mobile phones are not free. However, if you are an Office 365 Home or Personal subscriber, you already get 60 minutes of free Skype calling minutes every month, PC World reported.
The translation works similar to the version in the regular Skype calls. The user needs to bring up the dialer, toggle the switch marked "Translate", and proceed to select the languages. When someone from the other side picks up, they will be played with a message informing them that the call is being recorded and translated. The rest of the call will be accompanied with short delays as the conversation is being translated.
PC World also notes that this new feature matters. Before this experimental feature rollout, Skype Translator required both people to use Microsoft's messaging app. Now, Skype's aiming to remove that dependence by allowing at least one side of the conversation to be Skype-free, which will make the Skype real-time translation much easier to utilize since users don't need to figure out a special time when both people are on Skype. Instead, one side just makes a regular phone call from Skype on a Windows 10 PC.
Meanwhile, Skype Translator currently works with nine spoken languages, specifically: English, Spanish, French, German, Chinese (Mandarin), Italian, Portuguese (Brazilian), Arabic, and Russian. Since this automatic translation is powered by deep learning systems, expect to have some errors, but it's definitely better than not having the conversation at all. To reminisce, below is a video about the early progress of the previous Skype translation feature.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
