Skype Addresses Video Message Competition

Video messaging didn’t seem like a great idea at first. Using SMS attachments to send shaky videos that had no sound but a light breeze that sounds like a freight train when recorded through the microphone of a flip-phone was only annoying and expensive. After videocalling became popular thanks to IP communication platforms like Skype (News - Alert) and smartphones started to house the kind of camera and sound recording technology that we used to accept for digital cameras a little app called Vine decided to remind people that video making is fun and more shareable than before.

Skype is not too happy that when the term “video sharing” is used you probably think about Vine, Snapchat and now Instagram before its name is even considered. To remedy this, the VoIP provider is re-asserting itself as the best way to share a video with your friends.

The good news about this is that you probably already have a free Skype account. The bad news is that if you want to use the video messaging service more than 25 times in one month you’ll need to subscribe to Skype’s premium service at a cost of $5 per month. This is exceptionally high considering that the big names in video messaging offer unlimited use of their services absolutely free, albeit with advertisements integrated into the interface and sponsored content.

The rest of it is there though: easy to use interface, use of back and front-facing camera and the ability to title videos. Because Skype is a direct communications platform and not a social network like Vine or Instagram, the video messaging service lends itself to more targeted use. Instead of taking a video, adding a comment and sending it onto the newsfeeds of those who choose to follow your activity, a Skype user chooses a recipient first before yelling “action” and getting a cat to do something adorable on camera, finally sending it after having the option to preview the footage.

There is no denying that a video messaging service strengthens the Skype app, but limiting users to 25 video messages a month seems like folly when there are already so many free to use competitors on the market. The video messaging cap at this point seems to sweeten the deal for those already sold on Skype Premium’s other benefits. Those who just want the messaging have very viable free alternatives.