Skype pulls its client for Windows Mobile

Windows Mobile users looking to download Skype may have to dig a bit deeper to find the necessary .cab file for installation. According to Skype’s website, the Windows Mobile version has been removed because it does not offer the same rich user experience that is available in Skype for the iPhone and Skype for Symbian, an unusual reason that leaves us scratching our heads. Skype does not indicate when the Windows Mobile version will return, if ever, and it is possible that Skype may have chosen to cease development of the older Windows Mobile version while focusing on a new version that will be compatible with Windows 7 Phone series handsets. If this is the case, then it’s pretty odd that Skype would pull its current version so soon, leaving millions of current Windows Mobile users in the lurch for the next eight to nine months while we wait for the first Windows Phone 7 handsets to debut. Reading between the lines, another possible explanation is a bit of a conspiracy theory and contains the words “exclusive” and “Verizon Wireless”. Similar to the rumored delay in the 3G enabled version of Skype for the iPhone, this rumor suggests that Skype may have pulled its Windows Mobile version due to its exclusive agreement with Big Red. Regardless of the reason, Windows Mobile owners may want to head over to Skype’s website as soon as possible as the download link is still buried in the website if you know where to look. Once Skype becomes aware of its presence, the link and your ability to download Skype from its official channel may be long gone.

by  Kelly Hodgkins
[Via Wmpoweruser and Fuze Mobility]

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Android on the rise as Windows Mobile falters

By Michael Bettiol

A lot happened in the US smartphone market from October 2009 to January 2010, but thankfully there are companies like comScore kicking about to help us make sense of just which platforms were the biggest winners and losers during this period. The biggest platform was not surprisingly Google’s Android which saw an uptick of 4.3% to a total of 7.1% thanks in part to the successful launches of handsets like the DROID, DROID ERIS and Hero. RIM’s BlackBerry OS, which faired second best with a gain of 1.7% continued to dominate the total smartphone market at 43%, but one has to wonder if RIM could have done just a little bit more. After all, it did launch the BlackBerry Bold 9700, Curve 8530 and Storm2 during these months. Apple’s iPhone didn’t do as well as many would have guessed, but its 0.3% increase makes quite a bit of sense when you consider the tradition of people holding out on iPhone purchases in the six months leading up the summer release of the devices later iteration. Nonetheless, it does hold a 25.1% stake in the US smartphone market. When it comes to market share, one’s success is another’s misfortune. Not exactly a stranger to losing ground, Microsoft’s Windows Mobile managed to shed 4.0% thanks in part to what can be politely summed up as a general indifference to its current platform (how things will change). After this, we saw Palm with a loss of 2.1%. In Palm’s defence a lot of this can be attributed to people finally getting around to ditching Palm OS, but the fact remains that thing’s aren’t going to well for a company that many felt was on the path to recovery just 15 months ago.


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Microsoft shutting down Windows Mobile market, My Phone service

By Jonathan S. Geller

While Microsoft was one of the last to launch an app store on Windows Mobile 6, the company will be the first to shut one down as well. Microsoft has alerted Windows Mobile 6 customers that the company plans to shut down the entire service, including the ability for new developers to submit new applications on July 15th. Though customers will still be able to purchase and redownload apps, we’re guessing that’s coming to a close pretty soon as well. Additionally, Microsoft’s My Phone service — the software and service that backs up data on your phone including multimedia — will be going offline as well on August 7th. The goods news is that there’s Windows Phone, and this is a logical step towards shifting consumers over to the new ecosystem.