Microsoft-owned Skype on Tuesday unveiled a new app enabling users to send short video messages to stay “connected between calls.”<\/p>\n
The smartphone app called Skype Qik allows users to create and send videos up to 42 seconds long.<\/p>\n
The new service seeks to help Microsoft catch up to rivals in the fast-growing mobile messaging space.<\/p>\n
It takes some features from Twitter’s Vine — which allows six-second videos — and the ephemeral messaging service Snapchat. With Qik, the messages disappear in two weeks, while Snapchats are gone after being viewed.<\/p>\n
“Skype Qik makes video conversations more spontaneous and fun so you don’t have to wait until your next call to connect with your favorite people,” said a blog post from Microsoft’s Dan Chastney and Piero Sierra.<\/p>\n
The Qik app is available for phones using Apple’s iOS, the Google Android platform and Microsoft’s own Windows Phone.<\/p>\n
Qik brings Microsoft into the red-hot segment of mobile messaging, following Facebook’s multibillion-dollar acquisition of WhatsApp, Other popular messaging services include Asia-based Line and Viber — which was bought this year by Japan’s Rakuten for $900 million.<\/p>\n
Microsoft CEO draws fire for careless female pay comments<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n