Skype and Messenger Coming Together

Microsoft has confirmed that the process of migrating Messenger users on Windows to Skype would start on 8 April. The confirmation comes after Microsoft last month started sending out emails to all 100 million+ Messenger users to announce that Messenger will be retired on March 15, 2013 and all users will be moved to Skype.

In the recent Skype blog post, Microsoft announced that the upgrades will start rolling out for English language clients first, and finish up with Brazilian Portuguese on April 30 or later. Last November Microsoft announced that it has been planning to discontinue Windows Live Messenger in 2013 in favour of Skype, which it acquired in October 2011.

Microsoft in its last email has already confirmed that nothing will change for the users if they migrate from Window Live Messenger to Skype. Users can still continue to send and receive instant messages and see the information of those using Live Messenger, Xbox, Hotmail or Outlook.com.

Meanwhile, Skype rolled out Video Messaging for users of its latest version last week. The new feature of Skype will work on Android, iOS, and Mac except the Windows version of Skype. Currently available in the UK and the US, the full official service roll out for all from March. With the new Video Messaging users can send 20 video messages in the beginning and after that subscription to Skype Premium for $4.99 a month will be required to continue using the feature.

”We’re pleased that there’s interest for Video Messaging to come to Skype for Windows and Skype for Windows 8. We’ll let you know when we expand the service to the platform,” a Microsoft spokesman told The Verge.