With the latest Skype release, numbered 6.0, Microsoft has enabled a login using an existing Messenger account (i.e. passport, Hotmail or Outlook) credentials. Those choosing to sign into Skype using their Microsoft account will have the option to unite their accounts, as detailed
online by Microsoft.
United contact list
This ‘merge’ aims to help users avoid having to maintain two separate contact lists. Those who go this route will see a combined list of friends. Note that this process requires users to login with an existing Skype account or open a new Skype account for this purpose.
According to Microsoft, by signing in with a Windows ID, users can send and receive IMs and see presence information from those using Live Messenger, Hotmail or Outlook.com.
Plus! support for Skype 6.0
As we previously announced here, Messenger Plus! (for Skype) fully supports Skype 6.0 and maintains all its functions and services regardless of the merge process described above; contacts imported from the
Live Messenger into the Skype contact list can be reached using text or video chats, as before.
Microsoft communication protocol differences
Due to communication protocol differences between Skype and Live Messenger, some collaboration features between the two are limited or unavailable, such as file-sending or screen-sharing.
Consequently, this also affects some of the features of Messenger Plus! (for Skype): For example, when Skype users communicate directly with a Messenger contact from the Skype interface, certain features such as Winks, Sounds and Video effects fail to appear or function directly in the Messenger Chat window. Instead, they will pop-up in the user’s Skype account window (if the user is logged into Skype). This converged experience is a result of mixed technologies and concepts.
Plus! increasing the pace
Although combining the services of these products is derived by the quality of the integration that Microsoft will provide, we are investing considerable efforts over the following weeks and months to improve the functionality of Messenger Plus! for both products, in order to bring you an enhanced and fun Instant Messaging experience.
We’ll keep you posted on the developments.
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