[Nathan Wynne]

.. and replaces it with Skype (as reported on the BBC) what will happen to the tight integration of Messenger on Windows Phone 7.x? Facebook chat also runs through the Live Messenger service, I'm confused to say the least!

[AngryNil]

You get an update that changes the branding to Skype chat.

[Nathan Wynne]

If it's as easy as that. From what I have read, Skype is not a background service on Windows Phone 7.x as it is on Windows Phone 8.x, also there is the issue of the Facebook integration, from what I'm aware Facebook Chat isn't integrated into Skype is it?

[jhoff80]

If it's as easy as that. From what I have read, Skype is not a background service on Windows Phone 7.x as it is on Windows Phone 8.x, also there is the issue of the Facebook integration, from what I'm aware Facebook Chat isn't integrated into Skype is it?

Not on WP7 and Windows RT yet, but the desktop client does incorporate FB chat.

[berty6294]

disappointed :( I always found messenger to work so much more fluidly than skype

[Nathan Wynne]

Well, I think I would be happy if they could run Skype as a background service like they do with messenger - maybe instead, maybe windows 7.9 will solve that one!

I think MS will have a lot of unhappy customers otherwise, as Windows Phone 7.x is still a currently sold operating system, with new phones still coming out utilizing it. You can't sell something with one thing on the box and take it away two minutes later.

[yanpaulo]

So most of you think the Messages app for WP7.5 isn't going to work anymore?
I really hope that it will continue to work, but if it doesn't, one of the greatesr WP7.5's functionalities will be blasted!
I'm just gonna wait for Microsoft's official pronouncements about all this...

[Nathan Wynne]

Anyone know of any updates to this yet?

[HerronScott]

Microsoft is just disabling the Live Messenger client from connecting to the backend services so our phones will continue to work as they do now.

Scott

[Nathan Wynne]

Of course, but what about the messenger integration - surely Microsoft will not still be promoting sales of a mobile operating system that has visible but unusable features baked into the handset - I can't see the consumers that have purchased, or are about to purchase a windows 7.8 phone being very happy about the fact that they have buttons that they can both look at and press but that in fact do nothing?

[rdubmu]

Microsoft is just disabling the Live Messenger client from connecting to the backend services so our phones will continue to work as they do now.

Scott

I received an email from Microsoft and at the bottom it said:

Can I upgrade to Skype on my mobile or tablet?
Yes. Skype is available on iPhone, iPad, Android and Windows Phone 8. While you can still use Messenger on your mobile until a future date, we encourage you to download the latest version of Skype on your mobile or tablet. You will be able to sign into Skype on your iPhone, iPad, Android, Windows Phone 8 mobile apps with your Microsoft account over the next few weeks.
space

Sent from my Windows 8 device using Board Express Pro

[MrSean490]

Our phones don't use the conventional WLM client, we have some other thing that hooks in with MS' back end servers which gives us access to people signed in with their @live,@hotmail accounts + FB etc. If MS doesn't **** this up, the transition should be 100% smooth on our end, your friends will upgrade to Skype as forced, and since they'll have the same credentials, they should appear online when they log into Skype. It all goes through MS' servers anyway.

[MikeSo]

I really hope they don't screw up the Messenger integration in WP7. If they force us to use the Skype app instead, I'll be more pissed than I've been at anything else they've done. I really don't think they'll do that though, it seems very shortsighted. Then again, they might not care, due to there not being that many of us anyway...