Alexa Will Support Skype Calling Later This Year

Amazon’s Alexa-enabled devices allow users to do all kind of things, ranging from making appointments, setting reminders, checking the news, weather, traffic, and controlling smart home gadgets, just to name a few. However if VoIP calls are something you’d like to see Alexa do, then you might be pleased to learn that Skype calls will be supported by Alexa soon.

In an announcement on the Skype blog, Microsoft has announced a partnership with Amazon in which they will be bringing Skype call support onto Alexa devices in the near future. Neither Microsoft nor Amazon mentioned a release date, but it is expected to arrive in an update by the end of the year, so we’ll just have to wait for it.

According to Microsoft, “Users can make outgoing Skype voice and video calls, accept incoming Skype calls, and even make SkypeOut calls to most phone numbers around the world. For example, simply say, ‘Alexa, call Jimmy on Skype,’ or if Jimmy is calling you on Skype, say, ‘Alexa, answer.’”

Microsoft adds, “This is the next step in the collaboration between Microsoft and Amazon to deliver delightful customer experiences through voice, which began with joining Cortana and Alexa. Since then, we’ve added Alexa integration on Xbox and are continuing to work together to bring the best of Skype and Alexa together to enable intelligent communications for our users.”

Tyler Lee
Categories: General
Tags: Alexa, Amazon, Microsoft, Skype