Skype Translator Now Available During Mobile And Landline Calls

The translator feature by Microsoft’s Skype messaging product has been a huge hit among users who might have been having trouble with communication thanks to language barriers. Now, the company is taking this feature to new heights by actually bringing the live translation service to calls done on mobile phones and landlines.

The importance of having a feature where speaking to another person who speaks an entirely different language cannot be understated in an increasingly interconnected world. This is why Microsoft is making the Skype Translator available to Skype to mobile or landline calls instead of just keeping it a Skype-to-Skype service, The Verge reports.

On that note, using the service isn’t as easy as simply dialing a number. The users will need to be a member of the Windows Insider Program, for starters. After that, the latest version of the Skype app needs to be installed in the device. Finally, making the calls will require Skype credits, which is basically how users are able to call private numbers.

As for how it works, anyone who has ever used the Skype Translator during Skype chats or calls will instantly find the service familiar. Users will basically use the dialer, hit the “Translate” command, and then choose which languages will be translated.

The person on the other end of the call will be made aware of the situation by being informed via recorded message about the translation feature. Naturally, once the call goes live, there will be some delays as the machine translates what’s being said into the native language of both speakers.

The translator feature supports over nine languages, PC World reports, and is slated to add more as time goes by. Some of these languages include Spanish, Italian, French, Russian, and German. More than that, since this is still a preview product, users can’t expect it to work smoothly until Microsoft can work out the kinks.