Microsoft Releases Share-able Chats in Skype

Microsoft has released a long awaited update which allows two users two chat

Microsoft’s Skype team announced a new feature for Skype users that allows anyone running Skype to establish a unique chat room having URLs that can be shared on social media channels and through other communications. Microsoft purchased Skype for $8.5bn sum in 2011. Universal Skype apps hit the Windows Store, while a new Windows 10 preview offered a peak into Skype's integration within the all-encompassing Messaging app.

Users are not required to be running Skype on their computers, nor is it compulsory to create a Skype or Microsoft account. Anyone is able join the chat from Skype for Web and fully participate in the discussion.

"You can start, share and join a conversation from Skype for Windows, Skype for Mac, and Skype for Web in the US and UK. Guests can join on Skype for Web. Additionally, if you have a Skype name and Skype downloaded on your mobile, you can join a conversation on Skype for iPhone, iPad and Android. We’ll be rolling out to the rest of the world over the next couple of weeks and bringing the ability to start a conversation and share a link from mobile devices soon”, Skype said in a blog post.

Skype can now be used to chat with anyone, not just people in the contact list. The biggest limitation is the gradual rollout, which is likely aligned with Skype for Web’s staggered debut.

By the end of 2015, Skype hopes to be as easy to use as Google Hangouts. Skype has already added features, such as its universal translator, in a bid to lure users to the Skype app. It's also added conveniences to its Web apps, to entice users to adopt Office.

The feature is most certainly an efficient way to allow people to enter a Skype chat without worrying about whether or not the recipient has the application downloaded and installed. However, this feature could have an impact on web conferencing as well, as it may entice those who use often use the free or low-cost versions of online meeting software applications for more casual chats to use Skype instead to the mentioned software.

As Skype does well enough for smaller meetings with a few participants who only need to chat, message, share files or allow the sharing of screen, the option to invite anyone to a chat could boost the messenger’s usage.

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