Microsoft is set to bring real-time translated conversations in its Skype VoIP client through a new app, called Skype Translator. The app will be initially available as Windows 8 beta app before the end of 2014, and its final version is likely to released next year.
Microsoft Skype Translator coming this year to offer real-time translated conversations
Corporate Vice President of Skype Gurdeep Pall showcased Skype Translator as a new innovation by Microsoft at the Code Conference by Re/code. Pall demoed near real-time audio translation from English to German and vice versa, combining Skype voice and IM technologies with Microsoft Translator, and neural network-based speech recognition.
Commenting on showcasing Skype Translator app, Pall said:
“The Star Trek vision for a Universal Translator isn’t a galaxy away, and its potential is every bit as exciting as those Star Trek examples. Skype Translator opens up so many possibilities to make meaningful connections in ways you never could before in education, diplomacy, multilingual families and in business.”
Redmond-based Microsoft demonstrated its real-time language translation tool in 2012 but at last, its beta version is coming this year. The company is set to take on Google Translate with its Skype Translation as the former is still behind in the race of real-time speech-to-speech translation.
With having over 300 million connected users each month and more than 2 billion minutes of conversation a day, Skype is already quite popular VoIP client in the current market. The addition of real-time translation will of course increase the user base with adding more people across the world.