The classic Windows Live Messenger service is set for retirement on April 8 this year, and Redmond has already announced that it will be transitioning users over to Skype.
Now the company has begun sending out emails to all registered users informing them about the change. And yes, yours truly received one too a day or so back. The email reads:
“Starting April 8th, we will begin upgrading customers from Messenger to Skype. The process will take a few weeks to complete. April 8th is the first day you may be required to upgrade. This is a bit later than the March 15th date we previously mentioned to some of you as we wanted to give you more time to make the transition.”
The communication also provides more details about the transition, confirming that the Skype client can completely and fully replace Windows Live Messenger:
“To keep chatting with your Messenger contacts, simply upgrade to the latest version of Skype and sign in using a Microsoft account (this is the same ID you use to sign into Messenger). Once signed in, your contacts will already be there. You’ll be able to instant message and make video calls with them just like before, and start discovering new ways of staying in touch, including Skype on your mobile or tablet.”
Once the upgrade is complete, Windows Live Messenger users will not be able to sign in, but will be given an option to migrate to Skype right from the application.
The company has not provided details on 3rd party programs (like Pidgin, Trillian and IM+) and how their support for the Messenger platform will be affected, but most signs point that users of these programs will not have to worry about this — for the immediate future, that is.
