Microsoft has announced that it will retire its Messenger service and migrate users to Skype from March 15.
The company sent out an email to Messenger users this week detailing its plans to pull the service globally – apart from in China, where Messenger will continue – on that date.
In its place will go Skype, which Microsoft purchased for $8.5 billion back in May 2011. Recently, users have been able to sign into Skype using their Microsoft accounts, so the switch over should be pretty seamless.
Indeed, when it comes to transitioning from Messenger to Skype, all you need to do is download the Skype software and sign in using your usual Messenger details, and all your Messenger contacts will be pulled across.
In fact, Skype’s wide availability across numerous platforms means that access to your Messenger account will arguably expand through making the switch to Skype.
Microsoft account compatibility is already included in the mobile Skype apps for iOS, Android and Windows Phone 8, so there’s no worry on that count either.
Messenger users should find a banner notification notifying them of the change, and offering the facility to install Skype. This same process will simultaneously delete Messenger from your system for added convenience/unwelcome strong-arming, depending on your perspective.
What do you think of Microsoft’s switch to Skype? Is it a positive thing, or would you prefer to stick with Microsoft Messenger? Let us know what you think on our Twitter and Facebook feeds, or use the comments box below to have your say.
Via: The Next Web
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
