Skype has launched its starting phase for the Translator preview program that had been first introduced last May. As a collaborative effort between the Microsoft research team and Skype engineers, this latest feature incorporates real-time technologies for language and speech translation. As such, users can now easily speak and exchange messages with others who use a totally different language.
While having a regular conversation, Skype will be capable of doing the translations with what one is saying into the language of the other individual in "near real-time." When the other person replies, it will similarly be translated into the language of the first person.
Currently, such translation feature is reportedly limited to certain languages, including English and Spanish. Nonetheless, Microsoft has announced its plans of integrating other languages soon.
Interestingly, it is already capable of translating over 40 different languages when only instant messaging is used. Individuals who are interested in trying out the feature should have their hands on a device that is running Windows 8.1 or Windows 10 Technical Preview.
"Skype Translator relies on machine learning, which means that the more the technology is used, the smarter it gets," the Skype team wrote in a blog post. "We are starting with English and Spanish, and as more people use the Skype Translator preview with these languages, the quality will continually improve."
Through a blog post, Skype has also provided details as to how users can take advantage of the Skype Translator. A video also showed how the feature was tested, such as the audio snippet capture.
For emphasis, another video showed two schools in Mexico City and Tacoma, USA using the Skype Translator. The pupils were requested to take part in finding out the geographic place of the other school by playing Mystery Skype.
Users had already began signing up for the preview last month. Microsoft stated that the feature will first be made available for Windows 8.1 devices, although availability has now expanded to those running Windows 10 Technical Preview.
Because the signup page offers a number of language options which users can choose from as the language they are "most interested in", it has been speculated that these will be the next languages to be added to the Skype Translator. These include Arabic, Chinese (Cantonese), Chinese (Mandarin), German and Japanese, to name a few.
