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Skype for Windows Mobile Pulled from Shelves

By: , IntoMobile
Thursday, February 25th, 2010 at 8:20 AM

Just when Skype was making such great progress with stuff like carrier deals and plugging into TVs, they retract download availability of their voice over IP app for Windows Mobile. Why, you ask? This knowledgebase article explains:

“We’ve chosen to withdraw Skype Lite and Skype for Windows Mobile because we want to offer our new customers an improved mobile experience – much like the version that has proved so popular on the iPhone, and which is now available on Symbian phones. Our focus is on providing a rich user experience that allows you to enjoy free Skype-to-Skype and low cost calls as easily on the move as you do at your desktop.

We felt that Skype Lite and Skype for Windows Mobile were not offering the best possible Skype experience.”

With Windows Phone 7 gearing up for public availability, I would expect Skype is cooking up something snazzy that takes advantage of the fresh look and functions, but does that necessarily mean that they want to leave legacy devices in the dust? I could understand discontinuing support or updates, but pulling the app down entirely seems a bit drastic, even in the name of providing an optimal end-user experience.

If you already have Skype installed on your phone, you can keep on using it, just make sure to back it up somewhere, or not delete it. Besides, there’s always Fring, right?

[via WMPoweruser]

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About The Author

Simon Sage

Simon Sage’s education largely surrounded writing, technology and online community, leading him to begin his blogging career at www.BlackBerryCool.com and to quickly discover a vibrant and active community surrounding BlackBerry and mobile technology. In exploring RIM’s platform, he has learned what enterprises are looking for in mobility as well as what makes the innocuous BlackBerry so appealing to them. Recently Simon’s been covering RIM’s gradual move into an already-crowded consumer market, and the impact of burgeoning challengers, such as the iPhone, as well as long-time leaders, like Nokia, on BlackBerry’s advancement. With plenty of content under his belt, Simon will be branching off a bit to see what other smartphone manufacturers are working on while still using BlackBerry as a barometer. At IntoMobile, you can count on his posts being even-handed, well-informed and thought-out.

  • Antonio Carvalho

    This is looking like another consequence of the deal they made with Verizon.
    First they hold the release of Skype with 3G for iPhone, and now this.

    Another terrible move from Skype, and another lie in the explanation.

    I’m starting to test Talky and iCall on my iPhone, hopefully I’ll find a replacement for Skype.