Microsoft surprised the world last year when it dropped $US8.5 billion to buy Skype. Yet despite the deal being finalised in October, we’re still yet to see the VoIP application rear its pretty little head on Microsoft’s Windows Phone platform. What’s going on?
Ever since the deal was announced, we’ve been hanging out for Redmond to announce it has managed to integrate the VoIP application into the core operating system, just like it did with Facebook and Twitter. And for months, everything pointed towards it happening last year. We had “confirmation” that the app was heading to Mango last year, while pointers indicated that the WP7 app was the company’s priority after launching its iPad app in August.
And yet here we are, 16 days into 2012 and there’s still no Skype on Windows Phone.
But according to Slashgear, the software is still “coming soon”. In an interview with Microsoft’s VP of products, Rick Osterloh, confirmed that the company is currently working on delivering Skype to Windows Phone users “soon”, with tighter integration with other Microsoft products like Windows 8 and Xbox to follow.
This is good news, but it isn’t really good enough. Microsoft is lagging behind with its Windows Phone platform – as Apple converts bajillions of new users to iOS every day and Android activates even more handsets, Microsoft can’t rest on positive reviews and good will from users to invest in its mobile operating system. It needs to light a firecracker underneath its developers (and hardware partners) in order to drive new core applications and features like Skype into its devices.
Consider this: It has been 11 months since Nokia and Microsoft announced its strategic partnership at Mobile World Congress last year. And yet Australia still doesn’t have any indication of when we can expect to see the first Nokia WP7 handset. Similarly, it has been eight months since Microsoft announced it was buying Skype, and there’s still no word on when there will be an official Windows Phone implementation.
Microsoft needs to speed up its processes. In a world of Twitter and Facebook, where news is common knowledge as soon as it happens, waiting months to release software from a company you own isn’t going to help you win marketshare.
Mitch
Monday, January 16, 2012 at 1:36 PMSoon as Microsoft took over there’s been so many more ads every time I install skype. Does annoy the shit out of me! :(
Barry
Monday, January 16, 2012 at 1:51 PMIt’s always had a lot of ads, even before M$ took it over.
wsDK_II
Monday, January 16, 2012 at 4:24 PMyou dont have to uninstall/install it every time you want to use it, it allows you to continue to use once installed.
LucasF
Monday, January 16, 2012 at 6:27 PMHAAAHAAA!!!!!
Jack
Monday, January 16, 2012 at 1:47 PMThe latest versions of Skype on ios are pretty poor, just have a look at the ratings and feedback and you will be astonished at the level of complaints.
I’m just glad that I have an old stable version of Skype on my iphone.
Barry
Monday, January 16, 2012 at 1:47 PMI would imagine one of the reasons for Skype to be released onto the WP7 p[latform is that Microsoft isn’t just doing one product but ir’s doing all products/platforms so they all work together instead of waiting for each one. M$ have said that they will put Skype into WinPho7, Xbox, Lync Communication Server and a few others like Win8 OS so this would be one of the reasons why it’s taking a little longer than normal. Another reason would be that the WinPho7 don’t have a front facing camera on the market yet or at least not a lot. At present there is only the HTC Titan so that would be another reason. M$ is wiating for more WinPho7 with front facing camera to hit the selves.
Personally, I cannot wait until it’s all wrapped up and Skype is in Lync and WinPho7.
Barry
Monday, January 16, 2012 at 1:53 PMOops, I meant to type – “one of the reasons why it’s taking a long time for Skype”
Ethan
Monday, January 16, 2012 at 1:57 PMWinPho7 has had support for front facings since Mango came out and there are more than just the Titan with front facing cameras. Although yes, not many of them on the market do have front facing cameras, only the ‘high end’ ones. Just clarifying that :)
Barry
Monday, January 16, 2012 at 2:02 PMI’ve only seen the HTC Titan for Australia so far. What others are there in Australia?
TSH
Monday, January 16, 2012 at 1:54 PMWP7 is awesome, but sadly the very word “Windows” has become synonymous with “boring” and “dull”. This is unfair, of course, but this is reality.
MS isn’t doing everything it can to get WP7 devices out there, but they’re playing a long-term game against Apple. MS makes money on every Android handset; Skype on iOS and Android is deservedly a priority thanks to the size of the market; their key approach with WP7 is to abolish the reliance on “apps” by having as much as possible built into the OS.
I would not be surprised if the real situation is that the time between the Skype acquisition and the launch of Mango was too short to integrate it into the OS so it’ll be included in Tango or Apollo. To release an app in the meantime would confound the “no apps necessary” message.
MotorMouth
Monday, January 16, 2012 at 2:11 PMI dunno, I am about the only person I know with anything at all negative to say about Win7. For the first time in history, I think the Windoze brand is doing OK. I’d be far less likely to buy anything with an “i” or an “e” in front of it, that’s for sure.
light487
Monday, January 16, 2012 at 1:57 PMKinda surprised also that it hasn’t been integrated with MSN Messenger.. would have thought that to be the first step… but no.
Barry
Monday, January 16, 2012 at 2:03 PMThat is on its way I believe, part of the Lync server stuff I think.
Stu
Monday, January 16, 2012 at 3:35 PMI picked up a Mozart handset on a 12 month contract as soon as it came out. I was pretty impressed, but was very disappointed upon recontracting to find the exact same WP7 handsets available today as what there was at launch nearly 18 months ago. I love the interface and think it’s miles ahead of the others in terms of design; a current-gen handset and Skype would’ve convinced me to give WP7 another shot, but I gave up waiting and went for the iPhone 4S instead.
James Mac
Monday, January 16, 2012 at 5:13 PMI’ve got a Mozart too, is anyone else having problems synching their hotmail accounts?
Wok
Monday, January 16, 2012 at 6:13 PMHurry up with Gen2 already!