Jordan O'BrienMicrosoft is axing Skype for Smart TVs to concentrate on making the App better on smartphones.
Skype has been supported on a number of Smart TVs in the past but the service never really took off.
Microsoft has announced that it will continue to maintain Skype for Smart TVs until June, although after that there will be no further amendments or updates. That’s not to say that the service will stop working, with Microsoft leaving that down to the TV manufacturers as to whether they want to continue to offer the unsupported service.
Samsung, LG, Sony, Panasonic, Sharp, Toshiba and Philips have all supported Skype in one way or another, with Samsung the first to confirm that it will be ditching the App as soon as June 2.
“Over the years, users have changed the way they use Skype, with the majority accessing it from a mobile device – including when in the living room,” reads a message posted to the App’s support page.
“We want to make sure we prioritise delivering the best possible experience to the platforms our users are asking for, which is why we’ve decided to focus our efforts in other areas while supporting key functionality on Skype for TV for as long as possible.”
For now, Skype will continue to be available on Xbox One, meaning users can still get a big screen Skype experience if they desperately need one. The company refused to comment as to whether that App will be going the same way in the future however.