HomeWinBuzzer NewsMicrosoft Will “Kill” Skype on Windows Phone, RT, Windows 10 Mobile Messaging...

Microsoft Will “Kill” Skype on Windows Phone, RT, Windows 10 Mobile Messaging App on July 1

The company has informed users that it will be permanently retiring five versions of Skype at the start of next month.

-

In an email sent to users, has informed its customers that it will be shutting down several versions of the service come July. Specifically, Redmond will permanently retire Skype on Windows Phone 8, Windows Phone 8.1, the Messaging app for , Windows RT, and on TV.

Microsoft announced its plans to “kill” off Skype on Windows Phone back in July 2016 and now is getting ready to go through with it. The news arrives just one day after the announcement that Skype for Linux 4.3 will retire in July as well.

In the email, Microsoft says that after July 1, 2017, users will no longer be able to sign-in to these versions of Skype. Furthermore, the company directs Skype users to a Skype support page.

Of course, Mobile users will still be able to use the service via the standalone Skype app, built on the Universal Windows Platform. The Skype UWP app exited its preview phase back in April, becoming available to all Windows 10 users.

What's next for other platforms

Apart from Windows 10 Mobile users, there is an alternative for those who use Skype on Windows Phone, RT or on TV.

Microsoft says in the announcement email that users will be able to connect to Skype after 1 July via the web service. Alternatively, they could purchase a device that supports Skype.

As a matter of fact, Skype's retirement should not come as a surprise. Microsoft started working on switching Skype from peer-to-peer four years ago. The company is now getting ready to completely ditch “legacy” Skype apps and look to the “next generation of Skype”.

Microsoft announced its plans for the next-gen of Skype last week with the biggest update to the service in 10 years. It brought a major redesign to the app, new controls, increased bot support, and more.

SourceThurrott
Kostas Papanikolaou
Kostas Papanikolaou
Kostas is a former sports journalist and an amateur gamer. Combining his love for technology with his writing experience, he enjoys covering news about Microsoft. Being an artistic “soul”, he is also writing poems and short stories.

Recent News