Microsoft To End Support For Windows Phone, RT and TV Skype Users on July 1

Microsoft has been working on the backend of Skype to move its entire platform from P2P services to a cloud-based operation. As of earlier this year, this transition is complete and now the company is ready to move away from older applications.

If you are using Skype on Windows Phone 8 or 8.1, Windows RT, the messaging app for Windows 10 Mobile, or on a TV, these apps will stop working on July 1, 2017. The company has started notifying users on these platforms that these applications will cease to function after this date.

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You can see the notice above, thanks to the tip from @MichaelMartinez, that clearly outlines this change; the link in the message takes you to this landing page.

This announcement shouldn’t come as a huge surprise as the company announced last year that they would eventually be ending support for these platforms. What they did not do at that time was provide the specific date that they would sunset these products.

If you are using these apps, after July 1, 2017 you are left with few options. If you can access a web browser, you can use Skype on the web but as for native apps, you’ll need a new piece of hardware to be able to access the platform.

And given how much Microsoft values monthly active users of its software, seeing as they are ending support for these platforms tells us that the user base is incredibly small on these platforms.

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Conversation 38 comments

  • PeteB

    05 June, 2017 - 8:34 pm

    <p>Wow, talk about a slap in the face.</p>

    • evox81

      Premium Member
      05 June, 2017 - 8:37 pm

      <blockquote><a href="#122806"><em>In reply to PeteB:</em></a></blockquote><p>Sarcasm?</p>

    • Rares Macovei

      05 June, 2017 - 10:20 pm

      <blockquote><a href="#122806"><em>In reply to PeteB:</em></a></blockquote><p>For … what? TV users? Messaging in TH1/2? WP8.0? WP8.1, that is 3 years old? </p><p><br></p><p>We have a new UWP app for 1 year now. It's fine. Why aren't you on W10M RS1+ already?</p>

  • Martin Pelletier

    Premium Member
    05 June, 2017 - 8:40 pm

    <p>I find it strange that they drop for Windows 10 mobile since the promise of UWP. </p>

    • wunderbar

      Premium Member
      06 June, 2017 - 10:18 am

      <blockquote><a href="#122811"><em>In reply to Martin Pelletier:</em></a></blockquote><p>Windows Phone 8 and 8.1. Not Windows 10 Mobile</p>

  • bbold

    05 June, 2017 - 8:43 pm

    <p>So much for those of us who still use Windows Phone. What about the business users of the Elite X3, too? Kicked to the curb like deadweight?</p>

    • johnbaxter

      05 June, 2017 - 11:15 pm

      <blockquote><a href="#122812"><em>In reply to bbold:</em></a></blockquote><p>Windows Phone 8 and Windows Phone 8.1. No obvious connection to Elite X3.</p>

      • bbold

        06 June, 2017 - 9:03 am

        <blockquote><a href="#122867"><em>In reply to johnbaxter:</em></a></blockquote><p>Oh gotcha. I could have sworn that said windows 10&nbsp;mobile, as well.</p>

    • SleepingPelican

      06 June, 2017 - 12:23 am

      <blockquote><a href="#122812"><em>In reply to bbold:</em></a></blockquote><p> The Skype app on all Windows 10 Mobile phones will still work so HP Elite X3 will be fine. This is the UWP version of the app.</p>

  • Bdsrev

    05 June, 2017 - 8:44 pm

    <p>Skype for Web is pretty damn good though, Microsoft should make sure Skype for Web works nicely in Internet Explorer on Windows Phone, that way this is just a minor inconvenience </p>

    • EZAB

      06 June, 2017 - 12:26 am

      <blockquote><a href="#122813"><em>In reply to Bdsrev:</em></a></blockquote><p>There is no Internet Explorer for Windows Phone! You must mean Edge? There is no Skype for Edge!</p>

  • Chris

    05 June, 2017 - 8:45 pm

    <h5>Replying to <a href="https://www.thurrott.com/users/MartinusV2&quot; target="_blank" style="color: rgb(22, 114, 167);">MartinusV2</a> in Premium:</h5><p><br></p><p>They aren't dropping support for Windows 10 Mobile. The Skype app will keep working, it's just the Messaging app that won't.</p>

  • david.thunderbird

    05 June, 2017 - 9:06 pm

    <p>just another nail in skype. consumers won't know the differance and assume skype is dead and won't consider it.</p>

  • skane2600

    05 June, 2017 - 9:17 pm

    <p>Perhaps the message should have started out something like: "We noticed you were a sucker who thought we were going to support our Windows Phones.."</p>

  • Darmok N Jalad

    05 June, 2017 - 9:18 pm

    <p>I still recall my Windows RT devices fondly, but man did that concept crash and burn. Even now, if you search "Surface 2," the top result is Microsoft's product page about the device, and MS hasn't updated the page other than to say the device is no longer sold. They haven't taken down pricing, references to accessories, or specs. Talk about a device they just forgot about.</p><p>https://www.microsoft.com/surface/en-us/devices/surface-2</p&gt;

    • skane2600

      05 June, 2017 - 9:33 pm

      <blockquote><a href="#122821"><em>In reply to Darmok N Jalad:</em></a></blockquote><p>I'm glad that you found your RT devices useful, but the phrase "what the hell were they thinking?" comes to mind. I'll bet they didn't do any market research to determine if there was demand for such a product.</p>

      • PeteB

        05 June, 2017 - 9:46 pm

        <blockquote><a href="#122824"><em>In reply to skane2600:</em></a></blockquote><p>Seems they haven't learned anything, since the emulated windows on ARM nonsense will be RT 2.0</p><p><br></p>

      • Jules Wombat

        06 June, 2017 - 12:42 am

        <blockquote><a href="#122824"><em>In reply to skane2600:</em></a></blockquote><p>Looks like Microsoft are not listening then as they are working on Windows RT 2.0 ( aka Windows on ARM)</p>

  • bulls96

    05 June, 2017 - 9:35 pm

    <p>but the skype app on Windows 10 mobile still sucks for text messaging. Too slow and buggy! Or am I missing something?</p>

    • EZAB

      06 June, 2017 - 12:30 am

      <blockquote><a href="#122825"><em>In reply to bulls96:</em></a></blockquote><p>You are right. It is slow and buggy, but at least it works. The biggest problem here is that Skype on Mobile will kill your Battery if you use it for texting and calling! Good luck with that.</p>

  • Tsang Man Fai

    05 June, 2017 - 9:45 pm

    <p>I use Skype everyday on my WP.&nbsp; I cannot survive without Skype.</p><p>So it's time to give up WP even if I do not want to.</p>

    • Rares Macovei

      05 June, 2017 - 10:10 pm

      <blockquote><a href="#122830"><em>In reply to Tsang Man Fai:</em></a></blockquote><p>W10M launched for 1.5 years.</p><p>Skype UWP launched for 1 year.</p><p><br></p><p>What have you been doing in the meantime?</p>

    • rameshthanikodi

      06 June, 2017 - 1:55 am

      <blockquote><a href="#122830"><em>In reply to Tsang Man Fai:</em></a></blockquote><p>it's okay to give up WP, just give it up</p>

  • roland

    05 June, 2017 - 9:52 pm

    <p>That does seem a bit badly worded. Does it read only the messaging app on Win 10 mobile is going away and not Skype entire?</p><p><br></p><p>As usual, need a proper Thurrott translation of Microsoft's communications.</p><p><br></p>

    • EZAB

      06 June, 2017 - 1:13 am

      <blockquote><a href="#122832"><em>In reply to roland:</em></a></blockquote><p>I agree, we need some clarification here about the Messaging App in Win. 10 Mobile. It cannot be removed or reset in Build 15063.332</p>

  • roland

    05 June, 2017 - 9:53 pm

    <p>Following the links, one of the supported platforms:</p><p><br></p><p>Skype 6.35.1 for iPod Touch</p>

  • Uncommontater

    05 June, 2017 - 10:16 pm

    <p>I don't understand. The Messaging app for Windows 10 Mobile? Is that the built-in SMS client? What does that have to do with ending support for Skype? How will Windows 10 Mobile users send and receive texts? </p>

    • Uncommontater

      05 June, 2017 - 10:49 pm

      <blockquote><a href="#122839"><em>In reply to Uncommontater:</em></a></blockquote><p>So I think I understand what's happening on Windows 10 Mobile. I was just looking at the Skype UWP app and there is an option (which I don't currently have set) to have Skype be your default SMS client. I guess texting will be done through Skype. Makes sense: One less app for the developers to have to support, plus a more integrated experience for the user.</p>

      • EZAB

        06 June, 2017 - 12:37 am

        <blockquote><a href="#122854"><em>In reply to Uncommontater:</em></a></blockquote><p>There is no reason to kill the Messaging App on Windows 10 Mobile. It is built in and you cannot even remove it. I know Skype can be the default Messaging App. It can also be the Default Battery Killer. How is Microsoft going to fix that?</p>

  • James Wilson

    06 June, 2017 - 2:05 am

    <p> this does seem odd as the messaging app for Windows 10 mobile has nothing to do with skype, it's an SMS client. Equally the skype UWP app on Windows 10 mobile is not on the list so much ado about nothing?</p><p><br></p><p>The messaging app for Windows 10 does allow skype relay so maybe it's this feature that is being disabled.</p><p><br></p><p> some clarification needed?</p>

  • Maourice Gonzalez

    06 June, 2017 - 3:47 am

    <p>No, this does not mean Messaging App on Windows 10 is being killed, but once upon a time instead of Skype being able to handle SMS it was Messaging that had the feature to handle Skype. </p><p><br></p><p>If you happen to be on an old build of Windows 10 Mobile with a Skype enabled Messaging App, that is what's going to stop working. </p><p><br></p><p>Damn unclear article from Thurrot spreading misinformation. </p>

  • John Scott

    06 June, 2017 - 8:24 am

    <p>I definitely see Microsoft as moving away from supporting legacy platforms as long as they used to. Its get on the new wagon or be left behind. This is less about Skype and more about nudging user along to Windows 10 and that platform of apps and services. With Win 10 adoption slowing dramatically, it would be a natural move for Microsoft to begin moves to push Windows legacy users to Windows 10 in any way they can. </p>

    • skane2600

      06 June, 2017 - 1:03 pm

      <blockquote><a href="#122964"><em>In reply to John Scott:</em></a></blockquote><p>"Get on the new wagon or be left behind" is something that Apple users have accepted for a long time, Windows users – not so much. A company without a Reality distortion field has to serve its customers' needs to survive.</p>

  • bgoodbody

    Premium Member
    06 June, 2017 - 11:48 am

    <p>Read the stuff on the link seems to imply only a problem on Windows phones not running the creators update</p>

  • jgraebner

    Premium Member
    06 June, 2017 - 1:13 pm

    <p>One thing that might be worth clarifying is that the "TV" support referred to here is the apps that were on a handful of Smart TVs. At least for now, it looks like the XBox One/Kinnect app will continue to provide probably the best option for someone wanting to use Skype on the TV. In fact, it just received a fairly significant update with a refresh to the UI and the much needed addition of manual zoom control.</p><p><br></p><p>It's a bit confusing because the "Systems Requirements" page linked to in the article doesn't list XBox at all (lumped in with Windows 10, maybe?), but it is listed if you click through the "Find out what platforms Skype is available on" link at the bottom of the page<span style="color: rgb(43, 43, 48);">.</span></p>

  • WebDude

    25 June, 2017 - 6:46 am

    <p>Don't know what has happened to Skype but I have it on 6 or more (older) Android smartphones and a couple of Win 10 notebooks… In the past, it was possible to go from phone to phone or to one of the notebooks (if a longer chat was under way), perhaps sending a photo from one device while typing most text on another… Now Skype is definitely confused and when trying to chat with a friend 10,000 miles away, we were not even getting notified of attempts for voice or video calls… ringing was simply not working at the other end.</p>

    • WebDude

      25 June, 2017 - 8:51 am

      <blockquote><a href="#132399"><em>In reply to WebDude:</em></a></blockquote><p>continued – I can understand they may have wanted to move it to the cloud (and make intercepts a bit easier for the NSA or FBI ? Maybe even our MI5/6 etc as I am not in USA) but if that has broken it, then I see it as pretty useless as a "service"… it is certainly not working for me right now… Or maybe I should say – it's not working <strong><em>reliably</em></strong> for me, right now. (I can make a call from one phone to another easily, but there's o guarantee of connecting to others… I have tested with each smartphone using 3G or 4G and they can 'wake' the notebooks yet some contacts have been unable so to do.)</p>

  • stephen888

    13 September, 2017 - 6:06 pm

    <p><span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.85);">If you're still using Skype on one of the affected platforms, you'll likely have to resort to the web after July 1 in place of the native apps. For Windows Phone users, the most logical move would be to Windows 10 Mobile if possible; the new universal Skype app recently shed its preview tag and is ready for primetime.</span></p><p><a href="http://studymonday8.host-sc.com/2017/08/24/what-you-need-to-know-about-free-steam-wallet-gift-codes/&quot; target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">free steam wallet codes giveaway</a></p>

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