 "No People Hub integration on Skype WP8 Preview 2.1 app")
Skype has released its app for Windows Phone 8 Preview 2.1, and it should be available soon for Windows Phone 8 users on the Windows Phone store. However, the developers have temporarily disabled the People Hub integration in the app.
The People Hub integration has been disabled because it was apparently causing issues with device stability. Skype is currently working with the WP team to resolve the issue. The company states that it worked on improving reliability and performance of the app, focusing largely on background notifications and calling. The changelog details an updated chat keyboard that comes with improved autocomplete/autocorrect. Users will find that the Buddies from Windows Live Messenger have been labelled in the People list, and there is an added option to enable toast notifications for Windows Live Messenger buddies.
No People Hub integration on Skype WP8 Preview 2.1 app
The update comes with fixes for a number of issues from the previous release. Skype stated that the updated app features a significantly improved reliability of presence and chat and call notifications when the app is closed. Call reliability has been improved as well. Earlier, in some cases, chat messages would appear in the wrong order. The app will now show chat messages ordered by timestamps.
In November last year, Microsoft released a Skype app for WP8 for the Nokia Lumia 920, Lumia 820, HTC 8X and 8S smartphones.
The app was labelled as a preview release, as opposed to a final version. The WP8 Skype app offered additional features over the original WP7.5 version, besides greater connectivity with the rest of the phone. The biggest new feature of the app was the ability to be left running in the background. Skype contacts could also be seen in the People Hub, thus letting you start new conversations with just a tap.
Microsoft recently announced that its Messenger service is being phased out and it has started migrating contacts to Skype. As per the blog post, Skype states that Messenger users will be able to reach their Messenger friends on Skype. Messenger users will have the ability to instant message (IM) and video-call their contacts by updating to Skype.
This effort started with the release of Skype 6.0 for Mac and Windows, which allowed users to sign into Skype using a Microsoft account. Messenger users were required to update to the latest version of Skype, sign in using a Microsoft account, and find their Messenger contacts moved there.
Tony Bates, president, Skype division at Microsoft, stated, “Our goal remains to deliver the best communications experience for everyone, everywhere. We want to focus our efforts on making things simpler for our users while continuously improving the overall experience. We will retire Messenger in all countries worldwide in the first quarter of 2013 (with the exception of mainland China where Messenger will continue to be available).”
Skype added that it would help users with the transition process and assist them with other information over the next few months.
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