How to install Skype Lite and how is it different from the original Skype app

Skype Lite is specially designed for Indian market where internet connectivity is still an issue

By Rohit
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Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella during the company's Future decoded tech conference announced Skype Lite, a new low-data version of the original app. Designed exclusively for the Indian market, Skype Lite is more data friendly variant of the original video calling app, and also offers a slew of new features.

 
How to install Skype Lite and how it differs from the original app

Besides, the new app is also said to get Aadhaar integration feature by June 2017 that will add some new features to the Android mobile app.

 

In this article we are going to tell you how you can install the new app and how it's different from the original Skype app. Let's get started.

What's Skype Lite?

As we mentioned, Skype Lite is the lighter variant of the original Skype app and is built to address the low-bandwidth and poor connectivity issues that consumers in India face during messaging and calling.

The new app facilitates audio, video and instant messaging services at lower bandwidths on slower networks such as 2G and 3G on Android smartphones.

How to install Skype Lite and how it differs from the original app

How to Install and sign up for Skype Lite?

Skype Lite is available for Android platform and you can head to Google Play Store to download and install the app. Post installing the app on your Android smartphone, you can sign up via your mobile number, email id or your Skype name. Just enter one of these and the password to start messaging or make a video or a voice call to your contacts.

Users who have never registered on Skype before, you need to create a new account to use the messaging services.

It is worth mentioning that the app is only available for Android platform.

How to install Skype Lite and how it differs from the original app

What new it brings to the table?

Skype Lite is built from the ground up at company's Hyderabad center and comes powered by Microsoft cloud services. As the name suggests, Skype Lite would be light on bandwidth and memory usage to allow users to send messages, make video and voice calls even on a 2G network.

Compared to original Skype Android app, which is around 38MB in size (size varies from deice to device), Skype Lite is just 13MB in size while still offering all the functions of the main app. . In fact, Microsoft declares Skype Lite the company's fastest and smallest app to date.

How to install Skype Lite and how it differs from the original app

Skype Lite can be set to default messaging app and has the ability to intelligently filter the unwanted promotional messages from the general text and skype messages in your inbox.

The application also has a dedicated data tracking feature that allows you to monitor data usage on the app. If you are on a limited cellular data plan, you have the option to compress the size of images before you share them with your contacts.

SEE ALSO: Microsoft announces Made for India Skype Lite for Android users

Microsoft has also added a dark theme in the settings menu that changes the app background to dark, making it easy for you to use the app in no light conditions, especially during night time when bright light from your smartphone's display puts stress on your eyes.

How to install Skype Lite and how it differs from the original app

One of the highlight features of Skype Lite is the Bot integration. The app has India-focuses bots that can reply instantly when you ask something in messaging format. For instance, the app has Horoscope bot to offer you Horoscope information, a Skype support bot to help you out in using the app and some interactive bots like Meme cat, Your face, etc that are quite fun to use.

Moreover, Microsoft will soon bring Aadhar integration to the app by June 2017, which will allow app users to authenticate the identity of unknown callers in situations where identification is required, for instance; job interviews, documents scanning, goods and property sale, etc.

The new Skype Lite supports seven Indian languages including Gujarati, Hindi, Bengali, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu and Urdu.

Verdict

The app seems quite promising and effective for markets like India where poor internet connectivity is still a major concern no matter what telecom operators claim for their network reach.

Skype Lite is fast, is low on storage and offers a slew of features including Bot-integration and the upcoming Aadhar integration been the highlight ones. We will also test the video and call quality of Skype Lite to better understand the app.

Stay tuned on GIZBOT for more updates on Microsoft.

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