Skype Can Now Make Emergency Calls in the US

pcmag.com:

Microsoft has updated Skype to let users in the US make emergency calls via the service.

XDA Developers spotted this new capability in the release notes for Skype 8.80, which was released for Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS, iPadOS, and the web on Feb. 17.

Skype previously told people who attempted to call emergency services that it couldn't be used for that purpose. Now there's one more way for people in the US to call 911 in a crisis.

Microsoft says in a support article that Skype can automatically share a user's current location when they call 911 "for the purpose of routing your call and providing location information to your local emergency operator." (Assuming the app is allowed to access the user's location data.)

Microsoft says this location sharing can be enabled by following these steps:

In Skype, select your profile picture.

Select Settings,then select Privacy.

Turn 911 emergency location sharing on. You will need to acknowledge the Notices & Disclosures and the Special 911 Warning of Limitations & Unavailability to complete the process. You can disable 911 emergency location sharing at any time, but this means your address will not be shared with 911 in case of an emergency.

There are some limitations. "If you are operating from a device that does not have an API for location sharing or are in a location where location sharing is unavailable," Microsoft says, "your location will not be shared automatically with the emergency services operator."

Skype 8.80 includes some other changes—including support for custom reactions on mobile, the ability to zoom in on the share screen, and a bump to the maximum length of voice messages from two minutes to five minutes—and is available now for desktop and mobile