Skype Classic Will Be Discontinued In November After Brief Delay

In July, Microsoft unveiled Skype 8.0, a major redesign intended to replace Skype 7.0, which the company is now calling "Skype Classic." Microsoft planned to only give users a handful of weeks to make the transition before dropping support for Skype Classic, but that announcement didn't go over so well. The company backtracked in early August, promising that it would let Skype 7.0 live on for "some time" before ending support. That period of time wasn't as long as some had hoped.

In an update shared today, Microsoft revealed the bad news: Skype 7.0 fans only have a month remaining before they will be forced to adopt Skype 8.0 or continue using an outdated, unsupported version of the software. Skype Classic will be officially discontinued on November 1 on desktop, though mobile and tablet users get a slight reprieve until November 15.

This doesn't mean you have to update by that day — Skype Classic won't instantly stop working, after all. Microsoft points out that continuing to use it "for a little while" will still be an option, but that users should update immediately "to avoid any interruption." Failing to update will mean reduced ability to communicate with other users and lack of access to certain new features.

The latest and greatest Skype version brings 1080p video chatting with it, as well as "@" mentions, a gallery specifically for chat, the ability to drag-and-drop files for sharing, reactions to conversations, and much more. These features greatly improve the software, a necessity in a market where chatting and calling features are plentiful.

Some key features were still missing, though, prompting user complaints. Microsoft points out that it is already filling some of these gaps in the latest Skype version, including the ability to search for content in a conversation and the frequently requested ability to record a call.

SOURCE: Skype