Microsoft's Skype Desktop app is getting an upgrade, as it will have a new feature that would augment its voice and video call experience for its users.
Skype's AI noise cancellation option
Microsoft has announced that it will be integrating an artificial intelligence or AI-enabled noise cancellation feature into Skype's Desktop app for both Mac and Windows OS. This feature is not yet available on the mobile and web versions of Skype.
In order to activate the background noise cancellation feature, users can click on "Settings" and select the audio tab. According to Gadgets Now, the noise cancellation feature will then pop up, with the options auto, low and high to choose from.
In a blog post, Skype has mentioned that the noise cancellation technology was made for Microsoft Teams. The noise cancellation feature is designed to silence everything except for the user's voice when they are in a meeting.
The blog post also explains how the new noise cancellation feature works. It also states that the technology analyses audio feed. It then uses deep neural networks to cut out the noise without affecting the voice of the user.
The post also reads that this technology relies on machine learning or ML to learn the difference between clean speech and noise and is often referred to as artificial intelligence or AI.
A representative dataset is used to train the ML model for it to work in most of the situations that Skype users experience. According to the post, there also needs to be diversity in the dataset when it comes to clean speech, noise types and the environments from which the users are joining online calls.
Microsoft's move to upgrade Skype
During the coronavirus pandemic's peak in 2020, millions of people from around the world were forced to do meetings online via video conference. Zoom was the most used app, followed by Skype.
The competition was tough, and Skype stepped up its free video chat service offerings last year by introducing the feature Meet Now, which lets people chat or do a meeting without signing up for an account or downloading the app to your desktop.
Skype, which Microsoft owns, has its own video chat platform for businesses called Microsoft Teams. However, the Meet Now tool is aimed at both the consumers who want to chat with friends and family, and small businesses looking for a cheaper and a better alternative.
Meet Now is amazing for using on a desktop browser or laptop. However, if you are using it from a phone, you will have to download the Skype app, but you don't need a Microsoft account, according to CNET.
All of Skype's usual meeting features will work on Meet Now calls, including having the option to share your screen, turn on the background blur feature, record a call and use the chat function. The meeting links also have no expiration date, so you can create them ahead of time and have people join any time.
These are just the latest Skype updates, as the public continues to use video conferencing apps for work and school.
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Written by Sieeka Khan
