To cut off something as basic as file transfers, and even display pictures, would be a plain bad move. People already know display pictures, they've had them for free for more than a year, if they suddenly end having them they will move them and their contacts to other system that doesn't make features paid randomly.
MS wants to make money from Messenger (completely understandable, of course, it's their product and they're free to do anything with it) -- but I see this as more of a rumor than anything remotely possible. Features like winks or animated display pictures and custom emoticons, yeah, but FILE TRANSFERS? Only time will tell, but (no offense TB) it seems just like a FUD article. Of course, I don't have the sources you may have so I could be wrong... but that's what it sounds about.
I just hope I'm right
And of course, if this was supposed to be an April Fools joke, they better fix that WordPress installation to display the correct date
/ 
