Skype is considering automatically removing typing sounds from calls

At a press event in Stockholm, Sweden today, Skype confirmed it is evaluating the addition of a typing suppression feature to its desktop clients that will automatically filter the sound of your fingers hitting the keys. Unfortunately, the Microsoft-owned company isn’t ready to ship the functionality yet, despite it being available in its enterprise-focused Lync tool.

David Hands, Program Manager of Skype’s Audio and Video Processing team, discussed the feature in depth and showed a demo of Lync’s implementation, which frankly works extremely well. The suppression works automatically: it doesn’t have to be turned on, which makes it particularly useful in conference calls.

Hands did tell TNW, however, that the company does see value in typing suppression on Skype as well. When asked about when Skype clients would get the feature, however, he could not give a specific timeframe.

While Hands noted Microsoft believes the feature is much more useful on the enterprise side, he was very clear that there is interest from the company on the consumer side as well. As someone who hasn’t used Lync since working in an office, I can definitely agree: Skype is being used increasingly more in business calls, and this is the type of feature that many would love to see.

It’s worth noting that Google+ Hangouts added a similar feature back in April. While Google’s implementation is much more rudimentary (it merely mutes your microphone when you start typing, as opposed to actually filtering out the typing noise), the job still gets done.

Hands noted that there is a lot more work to be done as the company’s enterprise and consumer tools continue to overlap. This is of course part of Microsoft’s broader strategy of porting functionality to and from both Skype and Lync.

See also – Microsoft completes Lync integration into Skype, offers one unified communications platform for Windows and Mac and Skype tweaks Desktop API plans: Chat still going away, call recording and device compatibility to stay for now

Disclosure: Microsoft paid for The Next Web’s trip to Skype’s Stockholm offices but has no influence at all over anything we publish.

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