Microsoft announces Windows Live Messenger’s Switch on to Skype

Microsoft announced on Tuesday during a chat session for the service users that the Windows Live Messenger would be retiring. By March 15 almost every Windows Live Messenger users will be using Skype gleefully. As we all know that Microsoft had acquired Skype in October 2011 for $8.5 billion. Microsoft has officially confirmed officially the reports about the retirement of the Windows Live Messenger instant messaging service for the favor of the Skype. Tony Bates, Microsoft President, Skype Division, says in the official Skype blog, “We are retiring the existing Messenger service globally– and bringing the great features of Messenger and Skype together”. And he explained the fact that the Windows Live Messenger would be retiring by the first quarter of this year.

But this is not applicable in the mainland China. Yes, Windows Live Messenger would be active in China and there has been no any service termination date announced yet. Microsoft notes that with the release of the latest version of Skype 6.0 that was designed for Windows and Mac, the migration process also commenced for the Windows Live Messenger users to Skype. And the contact from the Messenger was also imported immediately. This change becomes applicable for those using the Windows 8 PCs and Window Surface as well. And from the time you sign in to your Windows system you will be prompted to sign in with your Skype account. The blog posts provides for the users who switch on to the Skype some promising special offers, such as discounts or free calling credits and other premium features.

Brian Hall shared this news in the Windows Live blog final post, “Messenger’s 12-year history and users’ subsequent transition away from IM to SMS, as well as social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter. “Skype became the best way to have video and voice calls (in addition to also letting you IM).” Brian Hall also adds about the integration of Outlook.com, and says, “We will enable Skype to work better with Outlook.com than Messenger ever has too.” It might not be that sweet for those virtual people who has dwelled in the before the smartphone or the Facebook times. Most of those important social activities such as the MSN Messenger, ICQ and AIM took place using this Windows Live Messenger program.

Now since the Microsoft has moved on to better versions it is wise enough to cling on to the change. Though there has been no official announcement it was predicted that the Windows Live Messenger for Xbox and the Windows Live Messenger iOS application will be merged in the future. Microsoft is in to blending the Skype in to a business product. There were more than 400 million people using the Windows Live Messenger for decades. And at the same time Skype has already touched the 280 million figures according to the Microsoft’s latest report. At peak hours Skype has more than 40 million users online, which is amazing. All those who are using the Windows Live Messenger will receive an upgrade notification and when you click on that it will offer Skype installation automatically.