Skype Is Automatically Answering Some Calls on Android (Updated)
- Mehedi Hassan
- Apr 01, 2019
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14
Skype for Android has a really weird issue. And it’s a massive privacy problem.
UPDATE: Microsoft says that it is aware of the issue and is working to resolve it.
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Believe it or not, Skype has a feature called automatic answering that automatically answers your calls for you. And on the Android app, the feature is malfunctioning, automatically answering your incoming calls even if the feature is disabled.
Android Police reports that users have been reporting the issue as early as January of this year, which seems to be caused by smartwatches. Those who connected their devices with a smartwatch will have their calls automatically answered because of a bug in the app, but disconnecting your smartwatch helps temporarily avoid the problem.
That is still not good enough, though. If you are simply not aware of the problem, your incoming calls can be answered automatically by the Skype app, putting you in an awkward situation. For one, you may not even be aware that a call has been answered, or the caller might hear things you don’t want them to hear, putting your privacy at risk.
The issue is identical to the one with FaceTime where a massive privacy bug allowed users to hear the other person’s microphone even before the call was answered.
The good news is that the issue seems to have been resolved on the Skype Preview app, so a fix should be coming to the public soon. Microsoft hasn’t officially acknowledged the issue, however, which is very odd. I have reached out to Microsoft for more on this issue and will update this story if I hear back.
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Conversation 14 comments
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dontbe evil
<p>they copied facetime feature</p>
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dontbe evil
<blockquote><em><a href="#417369">In reply to nbplopes:</a></em></blockquote><p>you think apple was faster … LOOOOOL </p>
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dontbe evil
<blockquote><em><a href="#417369">In reply to nbplopes:</a></em></blockquote><p><br></p><p>by the way if you read the news properly, I doubt as an apple fan you couldn't wait to bash on MS:</p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">So you have to……</span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Have an Android phone</span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Have to have a Android watch? Or Fitbit as well? Need MORE INFO.</span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Connect said watch to the phone</span></p>
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dontbe evil
<blockquote><em><a href="#417683">In reply to nbplopes:</a></em></blockquote><p>probably you're too busy trying to fix your macbook faulty keyboard, or ipad banding, or iphone apps recording your screen, or apple watch batteries… but if you read the article, once again you confirm that obviously you didn't:</p><p><br></p><p><strong>this skype issue is caused only on few android devices, with a smartwatch connected to it</strong></p><p><br></p><p><strong>p.s.</strong></p><p><strong>also butthurt apple fans didn't read the arciticle and just like to downvote truth comments… LOL they're adorable</strong></p>
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dontbe evil
<blockquote><em><a href="#417683">In reply to nbplopes:</a></em></blockquote><p>you cannot reply anymore and you start with downvotes against the truth? LOL</p>
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dontbe evil
<blockquote><em><a href="#417461">In reply to Winner:</a></em></blockquote><p>never experienced any of them, can you use and configure a pc?</p>