Microsoft is keeping mum about plans to integrate Skype into its Windows Phone.
There has been mounting speculation that Skype would soon be a feature on Windows Phone since Microsoft announced plans to acquire Skype last year. The company had initially promised the introduction of Skype-equipped Windows phones by the end of last year, and last week the Telegraph reported that Microsoft Rick Osterloh said at the Consumer Electrionics Show in Las Vegas that the feature will be available “soon.”
But on Monday, a Microsoft spokesman refused to pin down the specifics of the product launch.
“We see incredible potential to include Skype capabilities into Windows Phone, but we have nothing specific to announce at this time,” the spokesperson said in an email.
Meanwhile, Skype spokesperson Chaim Hass said the Guardian report was nothing new.
“This is nothing different than what was announced by MSFT last October,” Hass said. “At this time, we have no specific timing to share.”
Despite acquiring Skype from eBay for $8.5 billion last year, Microsoft’s Windows Phone is the only major mobile operating system that does not have a fully-functional Skype client. While Microsoft could introduce a version of Skype for Windows Phone as early as next month, a extensive roll out is not expected until later this year when Microsoft updates the entire operating system.
