MICROSOFT'S SKYPE DIVISION has announced the latest version of its Android Skype client.
Skype for Android 5.0 is a major release that introduces a proactive scan of contacts to find others who use the service and list them as contacts.
This will raise concerns for some people about privacy, however Microsoft is keen to assure us that this is not an issue. On the Skype blog, Pierre-Eric Jacoupy told users, "As we add this new feature to Android, we remain dedicated to making sure you're in total control of your Skype experience.
"In your settings, you can easily choose whether you want your address book contacts to be automatically added to Skype or not. And don't worry, your number will not be a public part of your profile. You can modify the phone number associated with your account or deactivate it completely, if you don't want to be found by your phone number."
As well as trawling your phone's directory, the new Skype for Android will also search within your Microsoft account, covering contact lists in Outlook.com and its predecessor Hotmail.
At the moment, Android is the only operating system with this feature, however Microsoft said that it is planning to introduce it to other versions soon.
Last week Microsoft introduced free group video calling to Windows and Mac users, but this feature is yet to arrive on Android. Android users shouldn't feel too downhearted, however, as the uptake of video calling in its first half century has been slow.
