Skype drags out tired “user experience” excuse to explain Windows Phone 7 decision

May 13, 2010 | By Surur

Skype lies about Windows Phone 7 APCMag has been able to shed some murky light on Skype’s decision not to support Windows Phone 7.

According to them Skype’s Asia Pacific Vice-President Dan Neary once again dragged out the old “user experience” saw horse, saying:

“We try and focus not only where the need is but where the best experience is, and we feel that the best areas for us to develop are on the operating systems that we currently support – iPhone, Symbian, BlackBerry and now Android”

“We simply feel that those operating systems (have) a much better user experience”.

Now this excuse had a minor shred of believability when it came to Windows Mobile (but even then we knew they were lying) but clearly holds no water at all for Windows Phone 7, an operating system that has shed a huge amount of functionality in the holy name of user experience.

Neary did hold out a bit of hope for Windows phone 7 users however , saying an app “is on the roadmap, the question is how quickly we’re going to get to it. We feel that we are best best deployed on other operating systems (for now) and we’ll see how the space evolves.” In short, don’t hold your breath.

Update: Official statement via TechRadar

In February, we withdrew our Skype Lite and Skype for Windows Phones apps because they didn’t offer the experience our customers had come to expect.

"We explore rigorously opportunities presented by new mobile platforms, and Windows Mobile 7 is no exception. However, we don’t discuss future platform developments, and have no further information to offer at this time.

We feel the best and most appropriate response by Microsoft would be to release their own VOIP client for Microsoft Messenger. With more than 300 million active users world wide, and the client pre-installed on most Windows machines, Skype may very quickly live to regret their decision.

Has Skype once again proven they are lying, rotten scum? Let us know your opinion below.

Thanks David for the tip.

About Surur

Site Admin and Windows Phone enthusiast, he has been using Windows Mobile devices since before they were called PocketPC’s. He is currently sporting a HTC 7 Trophy.

Tagged skype, windows phone 7

iamge

Wow what a bunch of retards out there in skype.
efjay

It was clear they were a bunch of lying gits from the excuses they gave for not supporting 6.5, so this wont be a surprise to anyone. There are a number of things I dont like about WP7 but one thing I dont think you can say, from what we've seen of the applications demoed, is that it has a poorer user experience than the competition. But hey, they feel the power, more to 'em.
Murani

I didn't know until today that Microsoft has their own VoIP software. I would definitely use my own integrated service if I was Microsoft. Its once again time for MS to flex its muscle. They really have a far bigger and influential ecosystem than Apple. Its funny how alot of people don't realize that.

Vince

If Microsoft has there own they should use that as a selling point and advertise it. You can't beat integrated with a secondary add on app. As for skype I have used it a couple times its not really a make or break for me but… as for WP7 They better have some nice hardware otherwise I might end up going over to the Darkside…lol I want a meaty phone with some rivets and at least a 3.5"screen and some chrome I want chrome…

http://intensedebate.com/people/martinschmidler martinschmidler

Hopefully we get Fring instead.

nuke1

Nah, Windows' own would be far better, with better integration as well as lesser consumption of RAM. Plus, more people have MSN.

PedrodelaRiva

I can only agree when you say that the most appropriate response by Microsoft would be to release their own VOIP client for Microsoft Messenger.
This is so true.

efjay

Sadly, knowing MS they wont and instead will come up with some lame excuse why they wont and spew the party line "features will be added in the future". What future they will have when everyone has android or iphone handsets I have no idea.
http://intensedebate.com/people/Lennard Lennard

I would want them to do this. they should of made a front facing camera mandatory

http://www.avianwaves.com Parrotlover77

I'm getting pretty tired of the words "user experience" altogether. Screw Skype. Screw Windows Phone 7. They both suck.

NuShrike

Skype has been throwing around the "user experience" cop-out word forever. It was the same used to explain why they originally didn't support the HTC Kaiser because its "Samsung" cpu wasn't good enough.

It's obviously codeword that they don't have the resources/knowledge/expertise to support nor implement for Wimpy7s.

http://twitter.com/expectafight @expectafight

um, doesn't this just pave the way for apps from Yahoo (just as cheap as skype to go) and Google voice? As a whole, I have no confidence in eBay as a company *in case you didn't know that Skype is an eBay company*

How can you assess the user experience to an OS that hasn't been in the hands of a user? *shoulder shrug* have fun with the iphone/ipad

http://intensedebate.com/people/WMPerson Wen(WM)

WOW, didnt know this… I guess you live and learn

Kalf

Skype is right. The problems are with Windows Phone 7.

It is currently technically impossible to write a VoIP app for Windows Phone 7. The problems are APIs and speed issues. The only way around both these issues would be to go to native code, which Microsoft will not allow.

So, it's possible for Microsoft to write a VoIP app for WP7, but impossible for any other vendor to do it.

efjay

According to j2inet (Joel, a current WM dev) its due ot the lack of sockets availability, not because it has to be written in managed code.

HD2

Oh…. better user experience in iPhone and Android….. LOL. what a joke.