Microsoft to shut down Skype Qik video chat app on 24 March

Microsoft has announced that it will be shutting down its Skype Qik on March 24, which implies that users will no longer get a change to receive messages post that day, nor send any messages via the video chat application. However, the company states that one need not worry as most of the features are already available via Skype’s core app. The company states via the  blogpost that, “We’re always hard at work evolving Skype for mobile, and have continued to add new features, such as group video calling. Some of the features we’ve added might look familiar, and for good reason.” In 2014, the company had launched Skype Qik, a mobile video messaging app to help share important moments with groups of friends. However, the company said, “since then, we have learned that many of you are already doing these things in Skype, and as a result, we migrated some of Qik’s most used features into the Skype app you already know and love.” Users have until March 24 to save any messages, as after that day, the app will no longer function. With this app, one could pre-record up to 12 short videos. They could just drop their Qik Fliks into the chat any time for a more personal conversation. Once a message is two weeks old, it would disappear. This feature is similar to the popular Snapchat where images/videos disappear after some time.