Microsoft is rolling out a new update to Skype, introducing a host of new features both on mobile and PC. Among them is emergency calling support in the US. Yes, you can now call 911 to reach emergency services via Skype.
For years, Skype didn’t let users make emergency calls. The feature was simply not supported. Microsoft’s Teams platform was also recently found to be preventing 911 calls to go through on Android devices. Both Google and Microsoft have since rolled out a fix for that Teams issue. The latter is now taking another major step to make emergency services more accessible via its various platforms.
With Skype version 8.80, you can dial 911 on Android and iOS mobile apps as well as Windows, Mac, Linux, and web clients. The app can also automatically share your location with emergency responders, making it easier for them to find your whereabouts in case of an emergency. This feature is disabled by default but you can enable it in the Skype settings. Note that emergency calling on Skype is only available in the US.
Skype 8.80 also brings a host of other features
Along with emergency calling support, the latest update for Skype also introduces several other features. Microsoft has increased the time limit on voice messages from two minutes to five minutes. So you can send longer voice notes.
Skype also now lets you zoom in on a shared screen during video calls. This feature is particularly useful in mobile devices, where things appear smaller due to smaller screens. With the ability to zoom in, you no longer have to strain your eyes to read tiny texts. You can take advantage of this feature on a PC as well.
In addition to all this, Skype for Windows, Mac, Linux, and the web now also supports custom reactions. The PC version of the app will now apply the app-wide light or dark theme to Skype calls as well. Microsoft had first announced this feature in September last year.
Last but not least, the latest update for Skype squashes several known bugs. Microsoft says it has fixed the issue of a ringing sound while calls were ongoing on iPhone. The issue with media files not playing on Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 has also been fixed.
Skype version 8.80 is now rolling out widely on all platforms. You can click the button below to download the new version for your Android smartphone from the Google Play Store.
2022-02-18 15:05:33