Skype and instant translation of foreign languages is becoming closer to reality. Microsoft has just released a test version of Skype Translator that is capable of translating conversations taking place in English and Spanish, and that too in real-time.
This means that people from different areas can talk without any language barrier even on video calls. Gurdeep Pall from Microsoft said this is the result of an investment of 10 years. “Skype Translator will open up endless possibilities for people around the world to connect, communicate and collaborate. People will no longer be hindered by geography and language.”
The test version has been experimented with by school children in Mexico City and Tacoma in Washington – a classroom of Spanish speaking children and the other classroom of English speaking children. The children played a game of Mystery Skype where they were supposed to guess by asking questions about which part of the world the other school was in.
The service currently only caters to Spanish and English, however, Microsoft has stated that it will include more languages. As of now, users of Windows 8.1 who have signed up via the Skype Translator Page have 40 languages at their disposal when it comes to instant messaging. Microsoft claims that more than 300 million folks use Skype monthly and this translates into 2 billion minutes of daily conversation.