Millions of Windows Live Messenger users might have to learn to use Skype, following rumors that Microsoft is 'retiring' the messaging service in favor of Skype IM.
The reports, which first surfaced on the The Verge, say Microsoft will integrate Windows Live Messenger with Skype in the coming months.
The company bought Skype, along with its more than 170 million users worldwide in 2011 for $8.5 billion.
Skype, created by Estonian developers Ahti Heinla, Priit Kasesalu, and Jaan Tallinn, was one of the first programs to offer low-cost international calls using VOIP. It is widely used by families and friends keeping in touch with each other around the world.
The Verge cited unnamed sources as confirming that Microsoft will announce the retirement of Windows Live Messenger soon, possibly as early as this week. The company has already begun migrating users onto the new platform over the past few months, with around 80% of all IMs sent on Skype being handled by Messenger.
Its Messenger, previously referred to as MSN Messenger, has been around since 1999 and has amassed over 330 million active users, according to Microsoft.
Software management specialist OPSWAT revealed that in June 2011, Live Messenger accounted for 40.6% of installed IM clients.
The software has gone through many changes over its lifetime, and has its own web conferencing and VOIP capabilities.
However, those are also Skype's core features and a key reason why Microsoft chose to buy the company last year.
Microsoft has made it clear that Skype is the future of its VOIP services, saying on a recent blog post that the integration between the software and its latest Windows operating system, Windows 8, will be "immersive and effortless".
"The team at Skype has been building on the Windows platform since the first release of Skype. With Skype for Windows 8 we've focused on how people are using Skype today, and re-imagined Skype for everyday communications across our global community," said the blog post.
The last update to Windows Live Messenger was released in August 2012. It allows users to connect with their Gmail, Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn and Xbox 360 accounts.
Microsoft, meanwhile, has refused to confirm or deny the rumors.
most read
more stories from Internet / Social Media
-
Google blacks out for two minutes, causes 40 percent drop in world’s Internet traffic
Google's two-minute blackout has caused a whopping 40 percent drop in global Internet traffic.
ernest hamilton -
Xbox Music web player is live and ready for Xbox Music Pass subscribers
Rumors turned out to be legitimate, as Xbox Music web player is now live.
ernest hamilton -
Facebook Android app collected phone numbers even if users never logged in
A bug in Facebook's latest beta app for Android collected and stored the phone numbers of anyone who launched the app, regardless of whether they logged in or had an account.
ernest hamilton -
Firefox 22 brings support for web video calls, 3D gaming, and Unreal Engine 3
Mozilla Firefox 22 is bringing advance 3D gaming to the web with Unreal Engine 3.
ernest hamilton -
Facebook bug exposes 6 million users' contact information
A security bug in Facebook's 'Download Your Information' (DYI) tool exposed email addresses and telephone numbers of roughly 6 million users.
ernest hamilton -
Microsoft Socl adds meme generator and GIF creator
Two of the new features now available on Socl comes in the form of a meme generator and GIF creator. This is a good idea since memes and GIFs are one of the leading activities on the Internet right now.
ernest hamilton -
What to expect from Facebook's June 20 event
The Facebook invitation doesn't say anything about the product or the service that is going to be launched on June 20.
ernest hamilton -
WWDC 2013: OS X 10.9 Mavericks Safari is going to help you extend battery life
In the new version of OS X, dubbed OS X 10.9 Mavericks, if you use the new Safari web browser to open a website that is power hungry, you will not have to close it in order to save your battery life.
ernest hamilton
