Microsoft released Skype Translator in late 2014 as a standalone app for Windows 8. As of today the translation feature is integrated directly into the desktop version of Skype (for users on Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 10.) Now you can have a conversation with someone who speaks English, French, German, Italian, Mandarin, or Spanish – without knowing the language yourself.
On the company blog, Skype said that this update furthers their dream of breaking language barriers and unifying people around the world.
"Researchers, engineers, and many others across Microsoft have been working hard to make this dream a reality and we are looking forward to bringing this preview technology to more devices," the post said.
Look for an update to the Skype for Windows desktop app in the next few weeks: A new translator button will appear within conversations. Translation is available for audio and video call as well as instant messages (then 50 languages will be supported, not just six.)
The general response to the Skype Translation tool so far has been positive. There are sometimes translation issues, but it seems to work well enough to hold conversations. Microsoft says it has recieved regular feedback about the app that they took into consideration before integrating it into the desktop app. As of now there's no definite answer about if or when you can get the update on Mac or iOS/Android, but given Microsoft's cross-platform focus it's a safe guess that it will happen relatively soon.