Microsoft to 'retire' Windows Live Messenger (MSN) March 2013; Migrate to Skype

[Teddy]

Microsoft are to "retire" their instant messenger chat tool, Windows Live Messenger (WLM), and replace it with Skype.

The service will be phased out worldwide by March 2013 except in China, reports the BBC.

Microsoft bought Skype last year for £5.3bn ($8.5bn) and aims to make it the main chat service amongst users.

Writing in a blog post, Skype's president, Tony Bates wrote: "We want to focus our efforts on making things simpler for our users while continuously improving the overall experience."

To make the transfer from WLM to Skype as simple as possible, users will be able to sign in using their old WLM password and username.

Users are also being lured with the promise of support for more devices, such as iPad and Android tablets, screen sharing, group video conferencing and the ability to place calls to landline phones, reports PC Advisor.

At its peak in 2009, WLM (then called MSN) boasted over 330m unique users but since then this number has been falling whilst Skype user numbers have been increasing.

One of the reasons for this is that Skype is now integrated into Facebook, which has 1bn users.

Brian Blau, from the consultancy Gartner, told the BBC: "When a company has competing products that can result in cannibalisation it's often better to focus on a single one.

"Skype's top-up services offer the chance to monetise its users and Microsoft is also looking towards opportunities in the living room.

"Messenger doesn't seem like an appropriate communications platform for TVs or the firm's Xbox console - but Skype does."

- Huffington Post

[Devin]

Officially dislike Microsoft for this move.

[Boozman]

Officially dislike Microsoft for this move.

+1

[Megamidget]

This decision makes sense, WLM was dropping in users and skype is easy and very good at what it does. I personally prefer communication via skype and i can understand why Microsoft have made this move

[battle]

there are no grps like on msn and this is like a GREAT way to communicate that gets destroyed by greed in my opinion... i use skype however, but as a chatting program? DREAM ON

[Gimli]

Great move. Skype is so much better for chatting than MSN, especially for groups (e.g. if someone isn't online, they get all the old messages when they log on, unlike MSN groups).

I rarely use MSN anyway, so doesn't affect me.

[Antonio.]

Now I will have to use a skype... something I never planned on doing.

[Teddy]

Seems people are mixed here :P I myself am the same way.

I like MSN because its chat based, it is designed for text chat. Skype is designed for videos and voice messaging, while it does have a text chat based element it doesn't match that ability of MSNs. Also Skype groups aren't as secure as MSNs, as in MSN only group owners/co-owners can invite new people, in Skype is a free ballpark and for groups like the FBI who uitilze the secure features of MSNs groups and skydrive, what are we stuck with? Ability for some random agent to get bored and invite strangers in?

However, I do agree that as a business choice this was a great move for Microsoft. As Microsoft lack good developers anyways, they will be able to have them focus on a single product rather two products that compete with each other. Additionally having two products compete when one (Skype) that produces income and the other (MSN) which does not (other than ads) isn't a good business model. So in that sense, its a great idea and perfect plan.

[Brian]

Seems people are mixed here :P I myself am the same way.

I like MSN because its chat based, it is designed for text chat. Skype is designed for videos and voice messaging, while it does have a text chat based element it doesn't match that ability of MSNs. Also Skype groups aren't as secure as MSNs, as in MSN only group owners/co-owners can invite new people, in Skype is a free ballpark and for groups like the FBI who uitilze the secure features of MSNs groups and skydrive, what are we stuck with? Ability for some random agent to get bored and invite strangers in?

However, I do agree that as a business choice this was a great move for Microsoft. As Microsoft lack good developers anyways, they will be able to have them focus on a single product rather two products that compete with each other. Additionally having two products compete when one (Skype) that produces income and the other (MSN) which does not (other than ads) isn't a good business model. So in that sense, its a great idea and perfect plan.

You do realise, that you can put passwords on skype chats (/commands) and put levels on people that may invite. So what you just said is not fully true, it just takes more efford.

I am not happy about this, but I do not really mind due to im using both programs, Its just quite annoying I will lose alot of old friends.

[Huntsman]

They should have done this long ago, only americans use MSN.. Europeans widely use Skype

[Zaila]

I was only waiting for this. Was pretty obvious that Microsoft was planning something like this when they bought Skype.

I'm actually happy about this since i'm using skype WAY more then i'm using MSN (both for chatting and for video / talking) and imo, Skype is so much better then MSN in everything.  And who knows, maybe all contacts will be imported to Skype with your MSN account or something, only time will tell.

[Antonio.]

They should have done this long ago, only americans use MSN.. Europeans widely use Skype

So, use it... Doesn't mean one of them needs to be removed.

[Brian]

I was only waiting for this. Was pretty obvious that Microsoft was planning something like this when they bought Skype.

I'm actually happy about this since i'm using skype WAY more then i'm using MSN (both for chatting and for video / talking) and imo, Skype is so much better then MSN in everything.  And who knows, maybe all contacts will be imported to Skype with your MSN account or something, only time will tell.

The said you would be aible to login with your msn account so dont think so

[Duel]

Woohoo

[Jack Rosso]

They should have done this long ago, only americans use MSN.. Europeans widely use Skype

bullshit