Skype launches public preview of its real-time speech translation app

Skype has released a preview version of the Skype Translator, a new app that promises to eliminate language barriers by providing real-time voice translation. At present, Skype Translator supports four spoken languages (English, Spanish, Italian and Mandarin) as well as text in 50 languages. Support for extra languages will be added soon but to give it a try you need to be running Windows 8.1 or Windows 10 Preview.

Skype Translator helps you communicate across language barriers, bringing people closer together. Simply set up a Skype Translator video or voice call with someone on almost any Skype client who speaks another language and start talking. Translator is currently available in English, Spanish, Italian and Mandarin. More languages are coming soon.

How it works when you use Translator:
You can call almost anyone who has Skype*.

Your conversation is translated into another language in near real-time.

What someone else says is translated back in your language.

An on-screen transcript of your call is displayed.

And you can send instant messages across 50 languages – from Arabic to Yucatec Maya.

Preview is available for Windows 8.1