Microsoft to replace Windows Live Messenger with Skype

[Xen]

Microsoft is working towards retiring its Windows Live Messenger client in favor of Skype. The Verge has learned through several sources that Microsoft's Windows Live Messenger service will be retired in the coming months and integrated into Skype. Microsoft has slowly been moving people over to the Messenger backend for Skype over the past few months, with around 80 percent of all IMs sent on Skype being handled by Messenger.

The company will announce the retirement of Windows Live Messenger soon, possibly as early as this week according to sources.

Skype, that was acquired by Microsoft in May 2011, has been synonymous with voice/ video calling since launch but, of course, has text-based chatting (IM) support built-in as well. The latest version of Skype (version 6) paved the way for Windows Live Messenger integration by letting users login with their Microsoft credentials, aside from adding Facebook integration as well.

Skype version 6 signals Microsoft's desire to closely integrate Skype into its own ecosystem and moving Windows Live Messenger users to the feature-rich Skype would be the next logical step.


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[Xen]

Microsoft confirms plans to retire Messenger in favour of Skype by Q1 2013

The announcement was made via Skype blog:

We've got good news to share! Skype and Messenger are coming together. Millions of Messenger users will be able to reach their Messenger friends on Skype. By updating to Skype, Messenger users can instant message and video call their Messenger friends.

Our goal remains to deliver the best communications experience for everyone, everywhere. We want to focus our efforts on making things simpler for our users while continuously improving the overall experience. We will retire Messenger in all countries worldwide in the first quarter of 2013 (with the exception of mainland China where Messenger will continue to be available).

In a bid to get people on board with the move, Microsoft listed the various benefits of the move including:

• Broader device support for all platforms, including iPad and Android tablets
• Instant messaging, video calling, and calling landlines and mobiles all in one place
• Sharing screens
• Video calling on mobile phones
• Video calling with Facebook friends
• Group video calling

via : ndtv

 

[whitebunny]

Thats Really a gud news. I already use skype fr mine voice and video calls

 

[Xen]

Windows Live Messenger was outdated since quite long time. I too feel that its very good decision by Microsoft to use its state of the art messenger service " Skype " .

 

[whitebunny]

Trully said Xen Brother