OK Microsoft, You Didn’t Release Skype in the Fall For Window Phones So What’s the Deal Already?
Rafael Rivera reminded us of Microsoft’s announcement from Mix11:
Before I go to the demos, a great example app that we’ve been excited to work with a partner on is Skype. If you think about Skype as a whole experience, it wants to have great networking support, it wants to be able to have access to the contact data on the phone. It wants to have a user experience that integrates and looks nice, and we’ve had a terrific working relationship with the folks at Skype, and we’re excited to see Skype come to the platform this fall when all these sorts of additional enhancements are available.
Wait when? Right, this fall, as in the thing that’s now behind as. That was on April 13 and on May 10 Microsoft went public on its intention to buy Skype, which closed on October 13. It was assumed that Skype would be released as a standalone app (like Tango) with integration into the contacts list and in an OS iteration we’d get complete Skype integration (similar to how Messenger is in the Messaging hub so it would be fully integrated and not an app). Of course, what we got is a handful of nothing. The Skype merger should have expedited the release of Skype for Windows Phone but that’s clearly not the case. We also know that Microsoft worked with Tango to release Tango for Windows Phones for goodies like hardware acceleration and it’s clearly possible to release that type of standalone app with contacts integration.
What we don’t know is when, and in what form, we should expect Skype to be available. Total radio silence. And while this happens Tango is gaining traction and increasing user signups. Not a thing happened on the Skype-Microsoft front (another in the list of things we need to wait a year on for Windows 8 integration) but Microsoft’s own mobile OS is the only platform you can’t get it on. I think we deserve a response from Microsoft and a clear answer as to when this app is finally coming. The loyal base has waited a long time and we’re well past the initial announced release date. If there’s no transparency then there’s mistrust and for a platform that needs its base to be as firm and supportive as possible then there needs to be more openness and honesty. We just want the truth.
We’re pretty forgiving but don’t jerk us around too long…
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The only thing I can think of is that the underlying code in Skype is more difficult to clean up than originally thought. That being said, the app should have been out by now, period. If not then they should have came public with the delay.
I’m hearing there might not be a MIX in 2012 so who knows how long things will go this way.
I am tired of waiting
It was soon after the purchase of Skype
Then it was at the end of the summer
Then it was at fall
Then it was concept pictures of how it’s gonna look like
Then it was at the end of the fall
Then it was before the year’s end
Then what….?
Then I got an Android phone and I’m very happy with it!
Then I’m goona get rid of my HTC HD7
Then MSFT can keep support iOS and Android and delay wp as long as they want
My hunch is that there is pushback from carriers who see it as direct competition. I can envision a scenario where Microsoft is negotiating behind the scenes with Verizon and others who haven’t been eager to bring The Windows Phone platform forward.
If they said it would be a Fall release (Winter here in the UK) that actually lasts from December to the end of February so they haven’t quite missed a fall release yet.
Not only did I totally call this a long time ago, I might have written an essay-like stream of comments to this effect and/or segments of my own articles. All people would do, except Ike because he’s levelheaded, was shoot me down for daring to suggest such a thing even with a decent list of reasons behind my prediction.
Hey, maybe you’ll get google talk someday. On my phone it does the video thing. Even on my old phone with one camera in the back, which is doable if you set up a mirror maybe.
What’s the big deal with video chatting anyway? Who does that other than a couple of times to see how underwhelming a thing it is to do? This has been such a big thing for you forever. This and Netflix. You got your Netflix, rubbed my nose in it even though I’m pretty sure I could use Netflix if I wanted to, and then never mentioned it again. Skype sucks and as far as I’m concerned they can take the popups they popped up on my aunt on the Mac I told her she’d never see upsetting popups with yet I stupidly agreed to install Skype on the Macbook and suck on them a little bit.
She noted once that it only lasted for a few hours on a charge. I said it should be lasting several, something’s gotta be wrong, what could it be… jackpot, you’re right, uninstalled Skype, aunt happy no popups but plenty more battery — SUCK it skype you suck.
tl;dr, what’s the big deal?
Also shouldn’t you be flipping out instead about no good google maps navigation equivalent? That, now that’s a problem. You could start a blog just bitching five times a day about how that’s pissing you off in various ways and you’d get good traffic too I’d bet, provided you could keep it up and not go on a tangent about Skype.