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Skype Qik — A New Video Messaging App from Skype
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@bramk this is definitely not like Snapchat. I've played with a beta release and it's far more similar to Facetime and other video-communication apps.
Side note: just because the content only lasts 24 hours, does not make it like Snapchat. Can we please stop jumping to these conclusions with every new ephemeral app? :)
@rrhoover @bramk That's right Ryan, our goal was not to build an ephemeral messaging app. It was to try to mimic real life conversations in many ways. The seamless playback for example feels really natural in group conversations. And the fact that messages expire after two weeks was so that users don't feel the pressure of having to manage an inbox full of spontaneous conversations. After two weeks, the topic has moved on, and we found that users are not referring back to something they said so long ago. Our focus is on casual comms rather than the permanent storage model which lends itself more to recording special moments.
@jtzou @amesjkim @dachazz We wanted to build a mobile experience which enables users to stay connected between Skype calls. It had to be authentic to Skype, but also as effortless as possible. The intimacy of video, with the convenience of SMS. But it also had to be all about the conversation - Skype is less about sharing or broadcasting, and more about bringing people together.
When we started building Blab earlier this year, we started with the question "what would Skype look like if it was a startup today?"
It's hard to believe that in the next 5 years, we won't have a quick/lightweight version of FaceTime/Skype on our phones. Being able to send & respond on your own time is huge, and once we started using Blab with friends & family, it's pretty obvious to see that this is something that's going to exist.
Obviously I'm betting on us to win this space with Blab, but I must tip my hat to Skype Qik with this execution of the concept. You can tell that the app is made with love. Well done.
Everyone else who has entered this space has tried to be cheap riff of Snapchat, and the market has ignored them.
Here's a post I wrote just before we launched about why I think an app like this will exist: https://medium.com/shaanvp/4f3db...
I'm glad Skype is finally doing something with the Qik tech. For those that don't remember, Skype actually acquired a company called Qik a few years back -- I was working at Skype at the time and got the pleasure of visiting the tech team in suburban Moscow just after the deal closed. They had an amazing video product at the time which Skype more or less shelved (the acquisition was just a few months before Skype itself was acquired), and I always thought that was a shame. That said, I like this product a lot!
I really like how they managed to evolve their visual language while making the app feel "skypy". It's also a great proof that color isn't your branding.
Also, if you want to have a quick look at how the app works you can view it here: http://uxarchive.com/apps/skype_qik
@abrodo Thanks Arthur. We wanted Skype Qik to feel familiar and yet distinct from Skype itself. The colour change was a brave choice, but we think it plays out really well. As you play with the app, you'll see that "familiar but distinct" is a theme throughout, but the design feels really fresh, and puts the videos themselves at the forefront. Our designers really did a fantastic job.
@pdotliu Hi Peter. You can send a Skype Qik message to any phone number in your address book. If they don't have the app then we give you the option to send them an SMS to let them know they have a message. An account is created for them automatically, so as soon as they install and verify their number, the message is waiting for them in the app.
@alxmlv +10 my skype account was hacked somehow three days ago. Registered email changed and all skype credits used and my paypal was charged 50 euros for skype credits (auto charge when credit goes to zero). And I still got no help after contacting them...
@alxmlv They discontinued this app due to lack of popularity and just put the main features into the Skype app.
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