--- description: Microsoft wants Skype to be more than just a chat app. It's becoming a platform for interacting with other services. title: Microsoft is Making a Huge Change to Skype image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltac9b312d2f9a3d46/6988533ba988ca52976b2e32/4651644102.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Business](/section/business/) ## Business Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [Tech](/tag/time-section-tech/) ## Tech Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # A Huge Change Is Coming to Skype That Will Make It Much More Helpful ## Video: Know Right Now: Microsoft Perfecting Skype Translator [Watch (HLS stream): Know Right Now: Microsoft Perfecting Skype Translator](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/jUJxjUtg.m3u8) (1:00)  _Published 2015-03-25. Some 40,000 people are already using software program Skype Translator in hopes of achieving real-time translation_  by [Lisa Eadicicco](/author/lisa-eadicicco/)  ## Lisa Eadicicco Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Mar 30, 2016 5:52 PM CUT  A Skype logo is seen at the Microsoft pavilion during the second day of the Mobile World Congress 2015 at the Fira Gran Via complex on March 3, 2015 in Barcelona, Spain. The annual Mobile World Congress hosts some of the wold's largest communication companies, with many unveiling their latest phones and wearables gadgets. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images) A Skype logo is seen at the Microsoft pavilion during the second day of the Mobile World Congress 2015 at the Fira Gran Via complex on March 3, 2015 in Barcelona, Spain. The annual Mobile World Congress hosts some of the wold's largest communication companies, with many unveiling their latest phones and wearables gadgets. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)David Ramos—Getty Images  by [Lisa Eadicicco](/author/lisa-eadicicco/)  ## Lisa Eadicicco Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Mar 30, 2016 5:52 PM CUT Microsoft wants [Skype](http://time.com/tag/skype/ "undefined") to be more than just a chat app. The company unveiled a significant Skype update that will turn it into a platform for interacting with other apps, similar to what Facebook has done [with its Messenger app](http://time.com/4149291/facebook-messenger-uber/ "undefined"). This new version will allow Microsoft’s virtual assistant Cortana and third-party apps to integrate with Skype. Microsoft is touting the ability to plan trips, shop, and book a hotel all within the Skype app by interacting with virtual bots. “We want all of these conversational tools to become rich canvases for computation,” Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said on stage at the company’s Build conference to preface the announcement. **Read more:** [Chat Bots Are Back And They’re About to Take Over](http://time.com/4194063/chatbots-facebook-messenger-kik-wechat/ "undefined") Cortana acts as the intermediary between the Skype user and these bots. For example, a notification from Cortana may appear within the Skype app to ask whether or not you want to share your location with a food delivery service bot. Cortana will also remember some of your preferences and take those aspects into account. For instance, if you have preferred status with the Westin hotel chain, Cortana will start a conversation with the Westin bot when planning a trip. App makers will be able to start using the Skype bot software development kit starting on Wednesday. Microsoft is also launching a platform called the Bot Framework that will allow developers to create bots that can integrate with various types of communication services, like Slack and email. It’s another sign that tech companies are moving away from apps and toward communication services in order to connect consumers with services. Facebook made a similar announcement at its own conference last year, and has integrated services like Uber into its Messenger app. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4276626/microsoft-skype-update-bots/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4276626/microsoft-skype-update-bots/"},"headline":"A Huge Change Is Coming to Skype That Will Make It Much More Helpful","datePublished":"2016-03-30T17:52:42.000Z","dateModified":"2026-04-13T08:49:46.116Z","description":"Microsoft wants Skype to connect you to your favorite apps and services","url":"https://time.com/4276626/microsoft-skype-update-bots/","keywords":["Tech","Skype"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltac9b312d2f9a3d46/6988533ba988ca52976b2e32/4651644102.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Lisa Eadicicco","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/lisa-eadicicco/"}],"articleSection":"Business","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltac9b312d2f9a3d46/6988533ba988ca52976b2e32/4651644102.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Mobile World Congress 2015 - Day 2","caption":"Mobile World Congress 2015 - Day 2","creditText":"David Ramos—Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/business/","name":"Business"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/time-section-tech/","name":"Tech"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/4276626/microsoft-skype-update-bots/","name":"A Huge Change Is Coming to Skype That Will Make It Much More Helpful"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Know Right Now: Microsoft Perfecting Skype Translator","description":"Some 40,000 people are already using software program Skype Translator in hopes of achieving real-time translation","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/jUJxjUtg/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2015-03-25T17:28:59.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/jUJxjUtg.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/4276626/microsoft-skype-update-bots/","duration":"PT1M","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/4276626/microsoft-skype-update-bots/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```