If you are currently unaware, Skype is an extremely popular VoIP service that allows people to make cheap (or even free) international phone calls, with even the ability to use video chat. It has millions upon millions of members, which means that being able to use the Skype client on your mobile phone is a big deal. Unfortunately, for Windows Mobile users, this big deal is no longer a reality – Skype has canceled development of their WM client, and removed almost all related files from their website, as reported by WMPowerUser.
The official reasoning from Skype is that the Windows Mobile version of their client simply doesn"t live up to the quality of their iPhone and Symbian apps, thus they have decided to discontinue development of the software. Skype noted that it wants to provide as best an experience it can, and Windows Mobile currently doesn"t live up to that expectation – of course, they will no doubt have a client for Windows Phone 7 in the works, but then, this leaves the whole situation rather confusing. There"s no reason for them to remove the current application because a new version is most likely on the way, and a lot of people are happy with the way the current Skype application is on Windows Mobile. Why, then, would they remove it on the claims of having a less-than-ideal interface? Your guess is as good as ours, though only Skype knows for sure.
If you"ve already installed the Windows Mobile version of Skype or Skype Lite, you can use it all throughout this year, though if you"re a new customer, you"re out of luck... unless of course you peruse the international page for the application, which oddly enough, still has it ready for download (though this will probably be fixed soon enough). Hopefully Windows Mobile users will be able to use Skype once more very soon, but stay wary as the company gave no hints at any new version in development.