Skype for Windows Phone, RT, and TV to be retired on July 1

But why? Isn't it faster and more reliable than skype?

The messaging app used to be awesome. Integrating it with Skype was dumb. It is slower and less reliable.
Then again, 10 mobile in general is slower and less reliable than 8x, so I guess it's all part of Nutella's "plan".

It's nadella.. Not nutella..

It's a fucktard ceo who screwed over Windows phone.

I don't agree but jasongw's response is hilarious!

If you don't agree, it's because you haven't used 10 mobile and 8x side by side. 10 is AWFUL. The underlying tech is solid, buy the user experience is a tragedy.

Every time I sit, and open my Surface, at the airport, there's always at least one, or two, others with one... And, that's everyday. There's a lot of those machines out there, and what's funny is I've seen every demographic with them... They appear at the airport almost as much as iPhones. I'm not lying. This product has broken through to mainstream... Nevertheless, I will admit that you don't see kids, or very young adults, with them,, with ages starting around the mid-late 20's, and above. And, I'll also be honest that mostly middle aged men have them.. This is significant, because the airport is a daily showcase for what products people are really using... Most of these people don't appear to make purchasing decisions based on if Snapchat, or the latest popular game is available... Granted, the do need thier OnStar, Home automation, consumer product, and banking apps, and MS needs to do something to get at least the "necessary" (lifestyle apps, if you will) on the platform. Those are more, and more, important everyday, and will be until what's next comes along... Point is that Full Windows with Cshell, on a Surface Phone would not only fit these people, but might also appeal to them, if the device is as golden as their Surface "tablets".... A generational leap from WP to a "Surface PC Phone" might be what Satya had in mind all along, and in fact he mentioned so... But, I don't think the tooling of the Surface Phone could be financially possible if MS kept hemorrhaging dollars on WP hardware. Satya's administration had to make that decision to bring you the Surface Phone (if one is in fact coming).... So, take your pick. Do you want a Lumia 960/970, or a Surface Phone?... Maybe one day when we see more Surface Phones in peoples hands than we ever saw WP's, we will understand what Nadellas decisions were all about... I wouldn't be so hard on him just yet.

Nonsense. Nadella wasted 26 BILLION dollars on farking LINKEDIN, a WEBSITE for chrissakes. Wp could've been driven to success for a tenth of that. But the truth is, Nadella prefers the iPhone, and sold out Windows phone.

Its not integrated with Skype anymore

Nutella has no plan. It simply spreads creamy deliciousness over your favorite bread and fruits. Nadella, coincidentally, has no plan, either. Nor does he have a clue.

Lol. 😂😂😂😂
By the looks of Cshell it appears that he does have a plan....

Cshell is no more than a minor upgrade to a bug-riddled ui. It is not enough to save wp.

Where are you getting bug riddled from? It is very stable. You need to stop spewing nonsense across these forums. Just in this comment section all I see is that jasongw threw up all over it.

The messaging app is NOT being retired. The abilty to sign into Skype through it (on older versions that had the ability) will be though.

Exactly. And this will only affect phones on win10M build 10240 and 10586 (builds older than the anniversary update)

Thank you, Microsoft is sometime so bad at communicating.

Almost always

My parents are still using Surface RT mostly for Skype. They paid good money at the time.
I am OK if MS just remove the app from the RT store. But to retire tje service in these devices is shocking....

Agreed, my mom is still using her Surface 2, and mainly for Skype. This is low.

I agree that for those still using the service on these older platforms, it stinks. However, the technical reasons behind the transition are justified. MSFT is trying to move the service from the legacy p2p network, skype was built on, into the cloud. This should allow Skype to become more reliable and function with greater quality for all of us.

"MSFT is trying to move the service from the legacy p2p network, skype was built on, into the cloud. This should allow Skype to become more reliable and function with greater quality for all of us."
Ahh, the "let them eat cake" business philosophy.

It's fine to update the platform. Nothing wrong with that. Buy most of the work to build an app is something that could be ported easily to the earlier platforms with a minor update.

Skype stil works via IE11, online, with native notifications as well (AFAIR).

Yeah, this is a dick move by Microsoft. I have many family  members and friends who still use Skype on Surface RTs, Surface 2s, and Windows Phone 8.1 phones, all of which they spent good money on, and all of which were blocked by Microsoft from having upgrade paths to Windows 10. They wonder why people have been ditching Skype in droves since they purchased them.

Furious. Absolutely furious. I use Skype daily on Windows Phone 8.1 and a RT to call overseas on their Worldwide Unlimited plan and teach my son during my lunch break. Not continuing development is one thing, but turning it off to force you to buy new devices is borderline immoral. They had an article here just the other day how even an old RT can still do useful things. There goes part of that. And if you really wanted the 1020 users to upgrade, you should have offered something more compelling than the 950.

Agreed. Best advice: Abandon ship. Windows mobile is dead.

Still use it on my WP 8.1.  The worst part it's not like they are producing new phones to buy.  I don't want to upgrade my 8.1 device.  I just want a new phone that's worth buying.  They are getting rid of services but they are not bringing anything new to the table.  If they are then they should say so.

YOU could be wrong about MICROSOFT a Good Microsoft insider says microsoft is testing and tweeking Windows 10 mobile for a NEW physical mobile device that just coud be a smart phone or a mini tablet with asmart phone inside it's case. more info will come as time goes on

I'd say it'll still handle sms but won't handle Skype directly in the messaging app.

The SMS part will work. Remember the Threshold update? It had Skype integration too. That's being retired.

**** microsoft.. just **** you ..

The Messaging app version that had Skype integrated into it is being discontinued. You'll just have to update to a version without the integration, which I hope the whole world has done by now considering that was ages ago...

There was an older version of the messaging app that integrated with skype, that one got replaced by the uwp skype app we use now, they are referring to that messaging experience not the current messaging app or the integration of the current skype app with messaging.

What are WP8.1 users gon do? 

Upgrade to W10M already

And how do you do that if there is no official update for your phone model?

You don't, and count your blessings. 10 mobile sucks.

No.

Maybe buy a phone less than two years old?

Right, because a phone should only be useful for two years.

Try Android. I have had some Android phones and tablets that I was never able update to a more recent version of Android. Many new apps refuse to install. 

Yeah... A horrible piece of mess.

nice lie im still on kitkat a 3 years os and only apps that use newer version of the APi doesnt work and those are mostly customization apps

So you are saying that Android has not evolved in three years?

It definitely has, but not on my older devices. I can't update. 

That's true of all os's, mobile or otherwise.

Yeah, I'm an Android developer, but if you can, you should flash custom roms to support the latest apps. That's what I do. I have a really old Kit Kat phone (Nexus) and it didn't support that many games until I created a custom rom for it.

Gr8.... ☺

Flash ROMs? I don't want to get my hands dirty with things I don't understand. All I want is some easy, automatic update.

Android is the opposite.

Maybe send me the money to do so; not everyone has money to throw on a new $800 phone each year; be grateful you can.

Yeah... The 550 did cost $800.

Yeah and they are still selling it right? Plus if you bought a flagship phone, you expect it to last more then a year, and you would not want to replace it with a crap starter phone like the 550 which has worse specs then a 5 year old flagship.

What flagship did you not update to w10?

Nokia Lumia 1020;

Maybe you should update.

htc one m8 for windows.

There are no more Windows phones available for sale at retail in most parts of the world. So, yeah, basically, buy a mid range Android.   I recommend the Moto G devices, they're pretty good or a Sony Xperia.

Where are you?

Where can you buy a Windows phone?

Which phone are you using?

Join insider program.

you switch to Android or iOS

Hack your phone if you have an 82x, 92x, 1020, 1320. If you have an x30 not named 530, why are you still on WP8.1?

LOLOL, as if we are ever going to buy and trust Microsoft again after they screwed us so many times, LOL, thanks for the laugh.

How did they screw you exactly?

If you don't know you must be very new here.

No, I use it every day and haven't been screwed once.

You're a fanboy troll, and everyone can see right through your nonsense and dishonesty.

No.  John,  he's just a blind fanboy who thinks Microsoft can do no wrong and windows EVERYTHING is the best ever.  Everything else is garbage in his blind fanboy eyes.   Thats all!  

**** that. 10 sucks compared to 8x. Every time I use my 640 with 8.1 right after my 640 with 10, I'm reminded how much better a user experience 8x provided. 10 mobile is a disaster.

This is so very true we have a 640 with 8.1 and one with 10 also. Try pulling out an old phone with 7.5. That's really depressing. Works amazingly well, although missing features.

I started up my 900 not too long ago... So much smoother and visually appealing

Am using lumia630 now wt to do

I'm using a 640 with latest 10. Know what? It's inferior to the same phone on 8.1 (and yes, I own one of those, too)

Get the shaft, like they have from day one with the farce that is 10 mobile.

And with the Promise to upgrade all devices running Win8.1 to Win10.

Better off with 8x in terms of user experience. Faster, more reliable, way, WAY fewer bugs.

Very true, but with all key apps being removed, its being made obsolete, no matter how much better it is compared to 10.

True, though imho it's easy to live without skype, as there are plenty of alternatives, most of which work better anyway

Yeah, for normal messaging and calls when I have data or wifi and calling someone through the same app been using alternatives; but the 60 free skype minutes with office were nice if you need to call a landline, etc. Ever since Microsoft bough Skype its been slowly heading down the *******; and now compared with many others they don't even provide end-to-end encryption.  

Windows 10 mobile is almost 100% stable now.

Sometimes, I find that my Lumia 830 with WM10 freezes and then the only way to get it to respond once more, is to hit the power button off and then back on.  Then hit the Windows button and then I get the Start screen and everything works again. It's on automatic update so I presume it has the latest OS version.   :-(

No it isn't.

I love this comment.   it's been out for over 2 years,  and it's ALMOST 100% stable now. ha ha ha

Show me where MS said they promised.

Those guys never promise.

Yes they do: http://www.pcworld.com/article/2874481/microsoft-reneges-on-windows-10-upgrades-for-all-current-lumia-phones.html  

Promise: https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=L2vwjQLAN08#t=33

https://www.theverge.com/2014/11/13/7216421/microsoft-says-every-lumia-w...

"We PLAN to upgrade all Windows Phone 8 devices to Windows 10 in the future" Reading is a lost art these days! Again, show me where MS said they promised. Still waiting.

You can pretend that's not a promise all you want, but the bottom line is that Microsoft made a commitment to upgrade all wp8x devices to 10, and they later abandoned that commitment. Stop being a blind fanboy.

What's there to pretend? How am I being a blind fanboy when I use an Android phone? The tweet does not infer there was any promise or guarantee about WP8 devices getting WM10. Maybe you should stop being a blind hater like John20212 and read properly at face value.

Oh, I did. You alone are being dishonest about that tweet's meaning.

If that's what the tweet means to you then congrats, you played yourself.

No, you're just a liar.

Well, in all fairness, MS did try. They wanted to be the company to do what iOS and Android couldn't or wouldn't do by upgrading all older models to Win. 10 mobile.
According to M. Fortin / CVPA, Windows and Devices Core Quality (blogswindows.com)
"the list includes a limited set of Windows Phone 8.1 devices and does not include some devices that run Windows 10 Mobile in the Windows 10 insider program." They go on to say that older device will be hampered by older hardware and not reap any real benefit and compromise customer experience. With that said, it's just not going to happen, obviously, for those that have older phones. If someone really want to stay with Windows 10 Mobile, they can get a 950 XL for about $250. Otherwise, just move to Android or iPhone. Microsoft tried to do what others didn't and quickly realized why others didn't. Older hardware, when it comes to phones, just isn't worth the trouble of trying to get a much newer OS onto an older device. Cellphones aren't like computers. I realize that many people still carry around 3-5 year old cellphones. However, when those phones fail, get damaged or the user is simply ready for an upgrade, they will get something newer. Google and Apple understood this, but MS wanted to make a name for themselves...and they did. That name was that of company that didn't keep promises. Unfortunately, that was the beginning of their market loss on the mobile front. Some developers lost confidence and market share began to stall and eventually begin to reduce. When you add Satya Nadella's plan for retrenchment and stop making devices, it was to be expected. This is just my opinion from an objective point of view and not just from someone that still uses and loves his Windows 10 Mobile device.

Well said Vincent.  

Android doesn't even plan to upgrade older devices to newer versions.

They won't need to upgrade older devices. Phones should be upgraded/changed through every two years. That is pretty much what all Phone Services go by because phones get updated through the OTA updates. If you want, you can wait until next year until Google's Fuchsia Operating System comes out. Fuchsia will cure everything that Android lacked.

No, but none of the major apps just get deprecated for older devices, out of the blue. You can rock a years old Sony Xperia Z2, and every modern Android app still works fine on it, outside of new games that take more horsepower and graphics chips.

@The Extreme G WRONG See the Microsoft tweet http://www.pcworld.com/article/2874481/microsoft-reneges-on-windows-10-upgrades-for-all-current-lumia-phones.html There is also a video live on stage where Microsoft makes the same promise, find it yourself if you still need proof.  

Here it is: Promise: https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=L2vwjQLAN08#t=33

@John20212 Are you really that dense? If your parents said they're going to get you a dog without any guarantee but changed thier minds for whatever reason are you going to whine and complain saying that they promised? Tweet doesn't infer a promise or guarantee. Also, no video of said promise or gaurantee exist either.

Really, no video exists? How about this https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=L2vwjQLAN08#t=33 "we WILL also be making available a free upgrate to Windows 10 to all devices running Windows Phone 8.1" When you use the wording "WE WILL" that implies a definite stance of what will happen, not a wishfull thinking of "we hope" or "we intend".  

No it doesn't.  Will and promise don't mean the same thing in any way. Learn to english.

Oh I English really well. I have degrees in English, communications, multicultural Studies and film. I'm VERY good at English, but you? Pretty much a total failure.

Yes, it is. You are a liar.

...    

Move to another platform where SKYPE is still working. My wife will move from L630 (with which she is very happy) to Android. SKYPE was one of the most used Apps on the mobile and still is on the laptop. I moved to Android as well 6 month ago when my L830 died.

I would say they are very early on this decision since most of the users on Windows mobile platform are Windows Phone users if I'm right. They should have given atleast 6 more months, before MS plans for any major updates for Windows mobile platform.

How is it early when W10M is going on 2 years?

Because for the whole two years its an unusable bug ridden mess, and no OEMs are in a hurry to make devices with that piece of crap; not even Microsoft themselves, if that does not tell you its trash I don't know what will.    

Please, don't expect the fanboy trolls to face reality honestly. They're just the ms version of Apple and google trolls.

Sigh... Just because only a few actually agree with you doesn't make them wrong you know.

Let's look at why calling people on this site "fanboy trolls" doesn't work. Fanboy and Troll would imply that Windows fans are on the wrong site, we aren't as this is Windows Central. I really don't get how us Windows fans are trolls and fanboys on a Windows fansite!!!!!!!

Doesn't imply any such thing. It implies that they're dishonest people who refuse to face facts: Microsoft has repeatedly spit in the face of Windows phone / mobile fans for years, and things have only gotten worse since Nadella took over.

A user is defined as a troll and fanboy when they blindly defend a company with lies and try to discredit all evidence that shows that companies broken promises to customers by further lies and countless excuses.  

Meanwhile. The ones of us that actually use the platform and follow the normal upgrade path of once every two years when it comes to the mobile platform has not been screwed or fooled.

Not everyone, especially outside the US, upgrades a smarthone every one or two years; you upgrade it when it stops working. Outside the US in many countries its not 'normal' to have 2y contracts and each time you upgrade a phone, many people use prepaid or month to month plans where its quite expensive to get a new decent phone every one or two years.  

Oh, but you have been screwed, you're just too blind and dumb to see it.

You need to look up the definition of a troll and a fanboy because it doesn't apply in the way you think it does. So I'll ask again, how can you be a troll and a fanboy on a fansite for the PLATFORM YOU ACTUALLY USE? If this was Android Central or iMore then yes I would agree but, again, this is Windows Central.

Neo...No...you, giddora and a few others are NOT trolls here...but you Are total FANBOYS....A FANBOY is someone who thinks that "X" is better than the rest of the alphabet because they THINK it is...and that "X" can do no wrong what so ever....which is not the truth at all.   SO YES,  you are  a FANBOY!

FANGIRL truth downvotes...whoo hooo....

Removing messaging app not. A good attempt however the reason behind doing that is Messaging app doesn't. Work on windows 10 desktop and W10M is likely to get Cshell soon.

No where does it state the messaging app is being removed.

It's the messaging app's Skype integration on the Threshold releases. And this is fine BECAUSE Microsoft has already ended support for 10240 builds on PC. So Mobile on 10586 being supported doesn't make sense (remember, Mobile released with 10586).

Really bummed about the skype for TV being retired. I bought myself and my parents Panasonic plasmas with web cameras built in about 2.5 years ago and have been using them to skype to show off the grand kids. Is there any option of some how linking this camera into my Xbox one s?

Nope. Don't worry, they'll return the feature three years from now in a half baked form and act like they're doing everyone a favor.

Use Kinect

Coincidently, just within the past two weeks I switched the setting in W10M to use Skype UWP as the default for SMS, and... I kind of like it. The big benefit I see so far is syncing across desktop versions so you can read, reply, and search past texts from any version of Skype that you've connected. Promptness of notifications does need some improving though.

It's also slower, more crash prone and you can't actually delete messages without leaving behind a "this message was deleted" notification that can't be removed.

Obviously, not everything is best for everyone. I suggest you stick with the stock Messaging app for SMS and not use Skype for SMS.

I mostly just use my iPhone now. I carry a Lumia 640 I use only on WiFi for email, since ios doesn't support the features that matter most to me on email.

See, iPhone is so much better all around for you. So why complain about an app you don't use, on a phone that cost $30 (my Lumia 640 was $29.99), running on a platform you don't care for?

IPhone sucks, but it has the benefit of better apps, including most of Microsoft's. The one and only thing 10 mobile sure better is email. 8x, however, is better than both.

Fair enough, but back to the original point: I like using Skype UWP for SMS so far and hope they improve the slight sluggishness over time.

So I will no longer have Skype on the legendary Nokia Lumia 1020; well F*** YOU Microsoft; First you PROMISE to update ALL Win8.1 devices to Win10, then you screw us, and now this!!! and you expect us to ever trust you again and buy another mobile device from you after yet another relaunch... LOL, you must be living in a dreamland; I guess I will not be renewing my Office subscription either, now that those 60 skype minutes will be useless.  

This is the Microsoft way

They NEVER promised to update every wp8 phone to W10. Edit:
And yes... Those of us who have actually moved on to W10 will probably keep buying their phones since the alternatives are horrible.

Yes they did. Just because the specific word promise wasn't used doesn't mean they didn't promise. https://www.theverge.com/2014/11/13/7216421/microsoft-says-every-lumia-w...

Open your eyes and do some basic research; they most certainly DID PROMISE to upgrade all WP8 devices to Win10; they stated so in tweet and even live on stage. You doen't even read what this very site has published? https://www.windowscentral.com/microsoft-claims-windows-10-upgrades-all-lumias and this seals that promise: https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=L2vwjQLAN08#t=33  

No, they said their _intention_ was to offer the update to all WP8 phones. And almost all got offered to install the w10 update through they insider program. On release of w10m they also said that they would NOT be able to offer any support to people who installed w10m through the insider program since insiders said it did not perform good enough on 2 year old hardware. That is all the facts in a short form.

They said nothing about "intention" or "hope" they said WILL, look at the video "we WILL also be making available a free upgrate to Windows 10 to all devices running Windows Phone 8.1" How much clearer do you need it to be? You would be better off coming up with legit arguments why they had to break that promise then trying to deny the FACTS of Microsoft making the promise. The ignorance of Facts by some in todays age is astounding.  

And they did offer it to almost everyone...

"The ignorance of Facts..." the irony. The word WILL does not equal PROMISE in any shape, form, or fashion. Learn what the words mean first before stating an argument. Just for the record, I'm not defending any of MS's decisions on the upgrade fiasco. Just calling out your BS.  

Actually its you who needs to learn the definition of WILL; When someone tells you they WILL do something you most definitely expect them to do IT. If your kid tells you they Will take out the trash, you expect them to do it; and would rightly be annoyed if you later found out they did not do it after they said they would. For everything else there are words like: should, might, maybe, NOT will;  

Lmao ok kid. Continue to be butthurt over your broken 'promise'.

"we WILL also be making available a free upgrate to Windows 10 to all devices running Windows Phone 8.1" That means phones that came with WP 8.1. x20 Lumias not came with 8.1. They came with 8. So...

And they did... But they never said they would give support as most phones were very old and the insiders said it didn't work very well.

What's it like living in that fantasy world of yours?

give it up fanboy GIddora  they came on stage,  tweeted it ALL DENIM W 8.1 devices WILL get w10.  they never said might,  never said maybe...they said WILL  that is a promise...

update ur old Win 8.1 phone to W10M to stay connected and updated with all latest features now....
:)

Microsoft would first need to provide such update, as they promissed; but never delivered.    

And didn't promise...

https://www.theverge.com/2014/11/13/7216421/microsoft-says-every-lumia-w... Yeah they did.

Stop spreading lies. Your crappy link is way past false.

You and Giddora are the ones spreding lies and trying to discredit everyone who does not adhere to your lies; If you can't see the facts before your own eyes then I don't know what else you need:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=L2vwjQLAN08#t=33  

No... No they did not.

Promise: https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=L2vwjQLAN08#t=33

No, they very clearly said on their site what their intention was, and they kept that promise by offering w10 through the insider hub for people who could live without support.

Yes,  they stated that EVERY denim activated devices....meaning every device running denim WILL GET UPDATED TO WINDOWS 10 MOBILE....Too bad the fangirl in you cannot see whats really going on!  sorry.

And which ones was not able to update?

HTC One was consider a flagship device. And the main reason I purchased the device was the statement that it would be updated to 10. But HTC and / or Microsoft did not follow through with their "statement". And this $800 was not included in the Insider program.

1020 for starters....My ativ S was running denim,  so that one...the Ativ SE,  the HTC One,  and I am sure there are others.

Which promise? I was really hoping to get W10M on my Lumia 520, but it was rejected. I had to realise that W10 just wouldn't work properly on my beloved device because of its 512 MB of RAM. They were gathering info from my device and other phones (Cortana Gathering Info for example) to finally reject it. And I wasn't promised anything, it was only common sense

The 520 was never run on denim as far as I know.  

So called software giant could not even support their own app on older platform--- SHAME....could not even invoke a recording feature of voice calls on legacy Lumia devices.

LOL its fun seeing all the fanboys with their heads up Microsoft's behind to rage against all the negative comments with their little -1 :D even when they know all of it is true.  

Because you crying all over the comment section isn't going to change anything.

So you mean only the small vocal hater-part of the community should write comments? What is wrong with you?

Telling people the FACTS is suddenly making me a hater? Funny definitions you have there. https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=L2vwjQLAN08#t=33

I did not say anything about you since... From what I know... You seem to be positive but some times uninformed. I was talking about the regular house trolls that can't do anything else but spew nonsense and try to convince people they are right even though they arent even using the platform.

Must have just sounded that way to me, no worries ;) and btw, I always back up my arguments with facts, sorry, but in this one instance the evidence is simply there from MS own lips [refering to https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=L2vwjQLAN08#t=33 ] Moving on.    

Well, they did offer w10 to almost everyone so... There's that. On their update page for w10 they did say what their intention was. Edit:
Your interpretations of cats are not point on.

They just do not care about that.....

If they pull WhatsApp for WP 8.1 that will likely spell the end for my trusty 925

I'm disappointed for Skype dismissal on Windows RT... those devices are still good and I still frequently use mine, but could never be upgraded to Windows 10 for ARM (due to unsupported hardware) 😡

Skype needs a rebrand...

Rarely used Skype. Mostly only got come-on messages from young girls with foreign names.

😆😀

Are you sure that app wasn't kik ? 😂

I am confused, are they retired Skype of features that allow skype to work with sms

No. They are removing the old skype + messaging functionality. The first way they experimented with.

Stop complaining about upgrade cost. Second hand W10M phones are dirt cheap on eBay if you go looking. My 950 only cost me AU$200, and 930s are easier to find and cheaper.

Nobody wants to go around buying up somebody's used Windows phones just to stay on the platform. Fact of the matter is, anybody switching from 8.1 at this point, is probably going to an Android or iOS device.....because, duh,  it's easier to find and buy one.

Wow...Microsoft can make and support apps for iPhone and Android but not for Windows Phone. I feel sorry for many people who trusted Windows and are stuck with WP 8.1. It is not normal to change phone every two years. It adversely affects our nature. If you as a company is forcing people to buy a new phone every 2 years, you are doing no good to environment. Just saying that you support climate deal is not enough.

Yep, Skype on an older iPhone 5S will still work, as it will on an older Samsung Galaxy S4 or S5, that are  about as old as Windows 8.1 phones, but nope, Microsoft deprecates the app on their own platforms.

After this whole Windows Phone era, and other deceptions and money grabs by Microsoft before it (like AOEO, or Flight, shut down soon after release) I have finally learned never to trust Microsoft with anything ever again, and they pretty much lost that trust for a lifetime now, no matter what they do in the future.  

Eso esta bien, asi solo enfocaran soporte a las nuevas app.

I do not have enough money to buy a new phone every two years.....

Switched to Whatsapp - MS screwed this up a loooooooong time ago.

I will forever long for the People Hub and the days all my messaging was in one place. Sigh.

When you could even do FB chat via speech to text.  As a developer, every time I think about how windows has devolved over the past few years, I get sad.  What moron thinks its a good idea to pull useful and distinctive features out?  Oh, that's right, so they can slowly start adding them back and can claim they've done something.  It's like when you see road construction on a road with zero issues.  Tearing it up and putting it back together becasue they needed an excuse to keep their budget high.

Hey as long as I still get notifications from my phone on my other Windows 10 devices I am good.

It sucks for 8.1 users, those who don't have the budget to buy a new phone every two or three years. At this point, I would tell those folks, save some money and buy an iPhone;  Apple is excellent about updating even their old phones, and even when they don't anymore (the iPhone 4/4S), all the same apps still work.  Nothing just gets deprecated out of the blue, just because.   And besides, Facetime is 1000x better than Skype anyway. You could hold on to your iPhone for a good 4 or so years, and it'll keep on ticking.

Except everyone i know with an iPhone has had to replace there screen at one point or another. Never had to on any of my windows devices. And a lot of people do not like the iOS versions of late. I'm just sad. I really do not like android or ios. I don't like iOS ui and i don't like google for anything it is. Ugh.

Again...cloud first, mobile first... customer    last

wow, they really want us to quit Windows Phone..

So i can still use skype on my surface rt in someway though right?

NaDella reaping Steve ballmers benefits. Biggest difference is while he is playing nice with everyone he is f-ing his own backyard to death. At least ballmer had the passion for Microsoft. Windows as a platform even on windows 10 is a joke. I am enjoying MS apps better in Android than in my SP4. Sad.

When he says mobile first he means Android and iOS

I still use my Lumia 1020 as my daily driver, so, in principle, this sucks.  However, I don't know anyone who actually uses Skype, so I won't be losing anything I can't live without.

T_T

Haha, screw you, stupid consumers! Either buy a new handset (who cares that that there are none on the market), or say good-bye to Skype.
We are commited to make your life harder, and we have certainly succeeded in that!

haha classic MS. well, makes no difference. I switched to iOS last year, after years of being loyal to Win mobile platforms. I got tired of MS treating us like an afterthought, while avidly supporting both Android and iOS.

I still cant believe how Microsoft destroy himself...

Skype is such a big mess. I don't use it anymore. They should rebuilt it from ground up.

Things happen

My mom is using Skype in her tv sony bravia she even has bought extra camera with mic to be able use Skype in tv thanks ms