MESSAGING APP Archives

Microsoft has announced that the latest version of Skype for desktops and laptops now offers the option of blurring the background during video calls. This feature works to distinguish and isolate the subject from the surrounding background, and places the focus on the person as the most important component of the scene. This will provide a distraction-free space, and help eliminate any embarrassing moments during video conferencing. This option was first introduced in another Microsoft messaging application, Teams. Last September the company announced their support for the background blur in this collaboration app, introducing new features for the workplace chat platform and Office 365. The blur feature has put Artificial Intelligence (AI) to use, as this advanced technology has been trained to recognize the human form. It is not just the speaker’s face that is in focus, but also their hair, hands and arms, thus creating a smooth…

Google Voice is finally getting an update with the addition of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), honoring the company’s commitment made in 2017 to make improvements to the application. Social media apps such as Facebook and Instagram have already been using VoIP carried over Wi-Fi or mobile data for voice calls in private or group messages, enabling communications between users through voice messages and video calls. Google Voice has been functioning as a phone call relay system, forwarding calls through another number. However, the app has never used VoIP for carrying traffic, and has been constrained to providing traditional phone connections. There is another Google messaging app, Hangouts, that facilitates audio chat between mobile devices over WiFi. However, this app is intended more for personal use rather than for professional engagements, and a Hangouts Dialer plug-in is required to be able to place calls within Hangouts app. Scott…