It would be hard to come across any internet user or PC user who hasn’t heard about Skype. For years, it has been the go-to software or app for making long distance free calls (including video calling) through PCs, laptops, smartphones or tablets. However, when SnapChat video messaging application was growing in popularity, Skype seemed content with its existing audio and video conferencing features.Finally, they have realized the importance of staying in touch with the new demands of this techno-savvy generation and come up with a free Skype video chat application that works across various platforms for smartphones. Skype’s new mobile-only video messaging app is labeled as Skype Qik and you can Send Self Destructing Video Messages with it.
In this article, we shall review Skype Qik features and understand whether it is indeed a clever initiative taken by Microsoft to make it available for smartphones only.
Features of Skype Qik Video Communication App
The most important thing that gets noticed about this app is that it has been rolled out for all messaging platforms at once, thereby, not making any particular group of mobile users feel out. Once you download the app based on the platform you use, you can launch it to start group video messaging. Skype Qik sign-up process is similar to that of Whatsapp or Viber i.e. you simply have to input your mobile number. Get hold of a few school friends or college friends or perhaps even your cousins from your contacts and start multiple groups for private video chats.
You can initiate conversations without having to log into your account with user-id and password. With this app, you would find it easier to swap videos that have been shot by you and get instant feedback or reactions from your loved ones. The length of any shared video on Qik should be less than or equal to 42 seconds.
New messages can be shared with a simple touch i.e. single tap on your smartphone screen. The video messages will get automatically deleted from this app after 2 weeks and they do not get stored on Skype servers. These self destructing video messages allow you maintain your video chat privacy in the long term. Alternatively, you can delete or erase the messages to make them disappear from your conversation.
Using Qik app, you can even record videos by toggling between your mobile front camera and back camera. You simply have to press the pink record button to start the video recording and press it again to directly send it to your target group without previewing the video.
All your friends who have this app installed will then be able to view the video or message. If they don’t already have it downloaded, they will get a SMS with details of downloading Skype Qik app on their mobile phones. As mentioned earlier, if you are not happy with the recorded video, you can erase it from your chat instead of waiting for 2 weeks for it to get deleted automatically. Thus, you can enjoy sharing text messages, photos and most importantly videos with groups of your choice.
What is the Qik Flik Service?
With the help of Skype Qik app, mobile users can also get their GIFs pre-recorded upto duration of 5 seconds (short videos). These pre-recorded short videos (called Qik Flik) can used as an answering service when users are offline or as a personal smiley. This feature is currently available only for iOS and Android.
How to Download Skype Qik App
- Android users can install this app from Google PlayStore at: Skype Qik free installation for Android
- Windows phone users can also install this app from Windows Phone Store at: Download Skype Qik for Windows Phone
- iPhone users can download the app from Apple’s App store at: Download Skype Qik from iTunes store
The initial response to this companion app of Skype has been pretty good. It does seem to be a simple way of communicating and sharing memorable moments with friends or loved ones by turning short videos into conversations. Only time will tell if Skype manages to fulfill it’s goal of making video chat as spontaneous as messaging is and as intimate as calling is! What do you make of this mobile-only video chat application from Skype? Please share your views and feedback below if you have already started using this app.
Thank you for this awesome post. I got very details idea of Qik self destructing video messages app. I think this will compete with snapchat