Short videos have increasingly become a stronghold on social networks with apps such as Vine, Snapchat and Instagram leading the way, and now Microsoft is releasing its own take on quick videos for messaging, Skype Qik.
The app, released today, gives Android, iOS and Windows Phone users the ability to quickly share short videos with groups of friends. Unlike social networking video apps, Skype Qik is solely for messaging, similar to what Instagram Direct does for photos. In a post on the official Skype blog, Microsoft describes the app as a “totally effortless way to capture the moment, share laughs, and chat with groups of friends.”
To record videos, users simply press a large button at the center of the app screen to begin recording a video, then press it again to stop recording. Videos can be sent to groups, and any user without Skype Qik will receive an SMS message instructing him or her how to get the app, which will have already stored all videos sent to that phone number.
Videos from the app last exactly two weeks, and users have the ability to erase any videos they send, regardless of whether they’ve been seen by friends. Additionally, users can block others on Android and Windows Phone, though the feature isn’t yet available on iOS – Microsoft says it will come to that platform “in the coming months.”
While Skype Qik allows users to make videos up to 42 seconds long, they can also create five-second videos that are saved for quick responses, such as a reply that simply says “Sure” or gives a thumbs-up.
Skype Qik can be downloaded in the Google Play Store, Apple App Store and Windows Phone Store.
Source: WPCentral / NeoWin
