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Skype Retires Older Apps for Windows, Linux (techcrunch.com)

Posted by msmash on from the leaving-people dept.

An anonymous reader writes: The newest version of the Skype app takes a big hat-tip from social media platforms like Snapchat and Facebook's Messenger with its newest features, adding a Stories-like feature called Highlights, a big selection of bots to add into chats and a longer plan to upgrade group conversations with more features. Now, as part of the effort to get people to use the new Skype more, the company is also doubling down on something else: Skype is trying to get users off of older versions of Skype. As part of that push, the Microsoft-owned company has sent out messages to users this week noting that it will be retiring a host of older iterations on July 1. Those who are still using them after that day will likely no longer be able to sign on. Skype app won't work on the follow OS versions: Android 4.0.2 and lower, BlackBerry OS 7.1 and lower, iOS 7 and lower, Linux (Linux users must upgrade to Skype for Linux Beta), Mac OS X 10.8 and lower, Symbian OS, Skype mobile for Verizon, Skype on 3, Skype on TV, Windows 10 task-based app, Windows Phone 8.1 and lower, and Windows RT.

3 of 121 comments (clear)

  1. What was the plan? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Their goal is to get more new users by pissing off existing users?

    It's Microsoft. This has worked so far, so why not?

  2. Skype for Linux Beta is a RAM hog by tepples · · Score: 5, Insightful

    As RAM capacities increase, software becomes inefficient to compensate rather than allowing use of more applications at once.

    Like Discord for Linux, Skype for Linux Beta is essentially Skype for Web wrapped in Electron, which is a special-purpose web browser using Blink (the engine of Chrome) specialized for one site at a time. In my tests, it has the same RAM footprint as running a second web browser. Having the equivalent of several 100+ MB web browsers running at once, one for Skype, one for Discord, etc., adds up quickly for people stuck on a machine with 2 GB of RAM, such as my laptop with one RAM slot that cannot use modules larger than 2 GB.

    In addition, Skype for Linux Beta requires more vertical scrolling than Skype for Linux 4.3 because the "bubble" around each message in Skype for Linux Beta takes a lot more vertical space than the more IRC-style message list in Skype for Linux 4.3.

    So what's the alternative? Setting up a VPS and running your own IRC or XMPP server and requiring all your contacts install an IRC or XMPP client with which to continue to communicate with you?

  3. U.S.-only by tepples · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Google Voice is exclusive to the United States, and I imagine that for most people, Google Voice isn't worth the cost of immigrating.