As announced last November, Microsoft is moving ahead with plans to discontinue Windows Live Messenger in 2013.
In an email to all 100 million-plus Messenger users the company announced that it will retire Messenger on March 15, after which customers will be required to switch over to Skype, which Microsoft purchased in 2011.
For over a decade, Messenger was hugely popular among many who use it to send quick messages through its instant messaging services. Users were able to share files, have voice conversation and make use of webcams.
However, Microsoft feels that Live Messenger has seen its heyday and will be retired in favor of Skype Messenger. The company said that anyone who has an account with Live Messenger will be asked to consolidate their present account with an existing or new Skype account.
One reason for discontinuing Live Messenger may be due to its decreasing user membership. Reports indicate that in 2010, Live Messenger was reported to have 300 million users. By 2012, this number declined to 100 million users.
Skype, on the other hand, has seen its users increase to 280 million. By consolidating Live Messenger users into the Skype ecosystem, Microsoft can realize significant savings by not having to run Live Messenger and by shifting the load over to Skype, reports indicate.
I am going to yahoo messenger and so are my friend if MSN gets shut down we refuse to be forced to use a rubbish app (Skype)
that is horrible MSN was like a tradition Skype is horrible I took it off and out MSN back on the reason why everyone stopped using MSN is when Microsoft kept playing around with it an changing it to windows live messenger MSN would still be more popular then Skype if Microsoft just left things alone an stopped playing around with things all the time no one can keep up
Today’s technology involve key components as social interaction and mobility. Skype has made a big effort to build out various mobile apps, easily leaving Messenger in the dust. Personally, I’ve always used an IM aggregator as Pidgin, Digsby, Jitsi, avoiding multiple instant messenger client installations while having the same/missing Skype/MSN Msngr features. I truly think it’s a great move on Microsoft’s behalf and wish them luck.
I understand the need to move on.. but has anyone here actually used Skype’s IM service? It’s awful.
MSN is exactly what I need and have been using it for years. I don’t understand why we’re being punished.
I agree with Microsoft.Since Microsoft moved from the original MSN Messenger to Windows Live Messenger I stopped using it. The original MSN Messenger was much more use friendly.
Smart move by Microsoft (y)
wow… I even forgot about messenger lol!
Fb put windows live outa buisness
i cannot tell u wen was the last time i signed on msn. i thought they foget my account. today i geettin letter. boi look joke eh ben face book u come out. thats where the action is.
hahahahahaha wat about hi 5
bon j i doe even remember wen last i sign onto my messanger. lol….ppl does still use dat nuh?
Eneways it still have facebook,twitter && skype…!..!
Good Consolidation Move..
Whilst change is inevitable in life, not all changes are for the better. In the internet age the constant change in the social media formats is starting to be a cause for concern. A certain level of consistency is also necessary in life to prevent life going round in circles. People can’t keep on hopping from one system to another.
Adieu MSM it was good whilst it lasted, hope life Hotmail does not follow in your footsteps.
MEN!!,,AM NOT HAPPY ABOUT THIS AT ALL,I LOVED MY MESSANGER,I DO HOPE IT COMES BACK SOON..FACEBOOK IS GROWING REALLY BORING.
In time to come……LOL LOL
poor messanger facebook kill you soon will be your turn facebook.
Facebook/ Twitter take over! oh well
that was exactly what i was going to say! i even forget i have a msn account. best move they could make.
makes no sense
Makes perfect sense, MSN is in the same bracket as Internet Explorer, obsolete.
Have respect It’s Internet explorer that paved the way for those crappy new browsers like Google chrome. I do not use Internet explorer but still have admiration for it. Just know all those new sites you going on have advance tracking and large of data on all you individuals that visit the site. In the future you will have no privacy and that is why the sites are considered ‘obsolete’ because they cannot do these. Enjoy your FB, Instagram and twitter.
Msn brings me back in the day.. when it was the in-thing to have a cool emoticon. Oh well….
Learn to deal with change. Nothing lasts forever and even Skype Messenger will change or evolve into something new in time to come.
Once there are creative minds out there expect innovation and the life changes it brings with it.
Change is good we do not understand it sometimes but it is always good and MSN was dying for a while I skip msn for about 3 year now and has been using skype. Much better chat/voip service than msn.