Microsoft creates a low-data version of Skype for India
Skype Lite will compress images and video for smooth running even on 2G networks.
Skype's place as the original gangster of internet messengers means that it's never had to watch its weight, until now. Microsoft has put the app on a diet to announce Skype Lite, a slimmed-down messenger designed for countries like India. You'll win no prizes for guessing that the Android app will heavily compress images and video and is intended to work reliably even on India's 2G wireless infrastructure.
Microsoft is proud of its new creation, and is boasting that Skype Lite was "built in India, for users in India." The app also has a bundle of India-specific features, including SMS filtering, mobile data and WiFi usage monitoring and local Skype bots. The company is also working on bringing India's national identity scheme, Aadhaar, into the app to enable callers to verify who they are speaking to. Skype Lite also supports seven languages, including Gujarati, Hindi and Urdu, and is available to download right now.
