Microsoft Confirms Live Messenger Retirement
Windows Live Messenger will be retired in the first quarter of 2013 (sniff).
Microsoft updated the official Skype blog on Tuesday with confirmation that the Windows Live Messenger client will be retired. The news arrives just one day after unnamed sources revealed Microsoft's Messenger plans, and after Tom's posted its own Windows Live Messenger Tips & Tricks guide.
After serving users since 1999, Microsoft said that the long-standing Windows-based chat client will be retired in all countries worldwide (except for mainland China) in the first quarter of 2013. The news certainly isn't surprising, as its death became apparent after the release of Skype 6.0 for Mac and Windows which placed Messenger connectivity alongside Facebook's own chat service within the popular blue VoIP client.
"Our goal remains to deliver the best communications experience for everyone, everywhere," said Tony Bates, president of the Skype division at Microsoft. "We want to focus our efforts on making things simpler for our users while continuously improving the overall experience. We will work with you over the next few months to help you transition and offer information and help along the way."
Windows Live Messenger first launched as MSN Messenger back in 1999 during a time when AIM (AOL's instant messenger) and ICQ were at the top of the IM client chain. The service switched over to the Windows Live Messenger label back in 2005 with the launch of version 8. Microsoft eventually integrated the IM service into the Xbox 360 Spring 2007 Dashboard Update back in May 2007.
"Now Messenger users just need to update to the latest version of Skype, sign in using a Microsoft account, and their Messenger contacts will be there," Bates said. "To help you learn how to get the most out of Skype, be on the lookout for some special offers later this year as you join your Messenger friends in the migration."
The benefits for old-school Messenger users who are now being pushed into using Skype include a broader device support for all platforms including iPad and Android tablets, video calling on mobile phones, group video calling, video calling with Facebook friends and more. However to see Messenger contacts in the current Skype build, users must sign on using their Microsoft account as Bates indicated, not their Skype account.
To get started, Bates provides instructions here.
I do have just about every account there is including Trilian, Yahoo, MSN, Steam, Skype, Google, and AIM...
that's one less program I have to think about and install if I ever need to use video and voice chat...
Oh well, there's a gazillion different messengers out there, not a big loss....
I,now, have to leave skype and find something else.
all these 14 year old kids , all those ad-bots and more-and-more m$ adds are coming to skype.
quick, uninstall it before they force you to have it always installed.
There's oovoo.
Or just prevent them from posting links. And if new members post certain links (or shortened ones that link to those), ban them immediately.
Now its going to disappear. Kind of sad really, something I grew up with is going to be retired.
I was a bit pissed when they threw Ads in the MSN chat screens.. C'mon man.. Ads in our chat screens?
Oh well, things come and go.
thanks for the reply.I googled a bit and I read that oovoo has ads too, so it doesn't make any difference.
I found ekiga on the other way, which has also a linux client.
I'll prolly stick with that from now on.
Sounds like if there was after a messenger say ripe off of the program to have say facebook or skpe work, that any further use of the program and/or application would cause probably stability problems within use of such for say either service.
As for use with other devices is just say a sync and porting debate which is always say appliable to anything within the interest of use for such and not just in the new of say about.
Think messenger actually went over the op when being able to make phone calls and faxes within use of the device say took hold before anything has probably ever been wrong within use of it.
Video chat makes sense but still think relies on the idea of having a say webcam if i remember right, otherwise think had to update or patch to be able to so say witout, which is mainly just recieving video.
Otherwise probably just stuck with video messages, which would probably be a "folder" option and/or feature debate when "content" is just left to such by those means for say a feature and/or option not say a device.
Then to sy of short on anything with texting is still probably the biggest joke of all outside having microsoft powerpoint for use as a text median. In terms of receivable say "files".
If the feature and or option usually within use like any other product and/or service probably has a use and probably then the most then not of one at all.
Sounds like any advirtising to say if spelt right rip-off that has a place of use otherwise on regards of the many services and say products that are more based still for use on an interest within one for seperate regards on, even if ithas say a same use for at a time and no change at all.
Especially on consolidation ideas otherwise would rely on maybe a more mangement interest of use, and why have of such when just logging in would be better and else where to say. Versitile or how spelt might be useful to say regards on for place within use for anything but being practically place for such to say rather then having of such to say do that is almost without is probably hard placed to say so at a time but still is said of such.
So might still just say be an expense debate and is of such to versitile might still find being a place last used to say as such on for use with to say but still maybe as for a use.
That is great, but what if you already had a MSN account and a Skype account?? Guess you have to choose which account you want to keep.
Is it ironic I see an MSN advertisement?