Microsoft has ended another failed experiment with a built-in messenger for Windows. The company announced on Wednesday that it will be retiring the Chat app from Windows 11 in the coming months.
Chat was first introduced in Windows 11 as a replacement for the previous messaging app, Skype. The app was designed to be a more modern and integrated messaging experience, but it never really caught on with users.
Chat is powered by the consumer version of Teams, not the enterprise one. You can do everything you can do in chats, such as share files, send texts, images, and make video or voice calls. You can access Chat from the Taskbar for convenience. Chat also has a Meet Now option, which lets you connect with anyone, even if they don't have a Microsoft Account. You can also send SMS to iOS and Android devices through this service.
In a blog post, Microsoft said that it is retiring Chat in order to focus on other messaging products, such as Teams and Outlook. Windows 11 now has the free version of Teams in the taskbar. Starting from Windows 11 Preview Build 23481, the company said that it will continue to support Chat for existing users, but that it will no longer be updated or promoted.
Users Do Not Want a Built-in Windows 11 Messenger Service
The retirement of Chat is the latest in a series of failed attempts by Microsoft to create a successful built-in messaging app for Windows. The company has tried and failed with a number of different apps, including Live Messenger, Windows Live Messenger, and Skype for Windows.
Microsoft's failure to create a successful built-in messaging app for Windows is a sign of the changing landscape of messaging. In the past, users were more likely to use a messaging app that was integrated with their operating system. However, in recent years, users have increasingly turned to third-party messaging apps, such as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and Telegram.
It remains to be seen whether Microsoft will be able to succeed with its other messaging products, such as Microsoft Teams and Outlook. However, the retirement of Chat is a clear sign that the company is struggling to compete in the messaging market.
