The number of active users in Messenger has dropped to around 100 million

Absrtact: 2012 has not yet ended, Messenger's active users have dropped to about 100 million, far less than Skype's 280 million monthly active users, the contrast of the huge number means that this year, hundreds of millions of users from the Messenger lost. Microsoft in the early morning

As the 2012 has not yet ended, the number of active users of Messenger has slipped to around 100 million, well below Skype's 280 million monthly active subscribers, a dramatic figure that means hundreds of millions of users have been lost from messenger this year.

Microsoft officially announced early this morning that Windows Live Messenger (Messenger) service (outside China) would be discontinued in the first quarter of 2013 and incorporated into the Skype business. Notably, Microsoft has confirmed that the company's Messenger services are actually active users of more than 100 million people, far below Skype's 280 million monthly active users. Messenger, which once covered the world's super 60% users of the IM software finally because of the user's large number of departure and completely extinct.

According to Tencent Science and technology, the current role of Skype in the Microsoft product system is not only a VoIP (voice telephone business) products, but also with a number of Microsoft's core business such as Xbox and Office products through to provide a variety of services, But it is still unclear whether these jobs will attract the once-lost customers back.

Users fleeing MSN active numbers fall back to 2003 levels

The rapid loss of market share is the biggest reason for Messenger's substitution, which once named MSN Messenger's IM software once occupied more than 60% of the world's market share during the peak period. Even last year, Opswat, a market research agency, reported that Microsoft Messenger (MSN) accounted for 40.67% of the global IM market, followed by Skype 27.39%.

2012 has not yet ended, the number of active users of Messenger has dropped to about 100 million, Far less than Skype's 280 million monthly active users, the contrasting figures mean that hundreds of millions of users have been lost from Messenger this year, which is no different to the IM software known for building a relationship chain, as early as 2003, MSN Messenger's active users have reached 100 million people.

In recent years, the MSN product experience has not been much improved, since 2005 Microsoft with Messenger to replace the MSN Messenger brand, actually only launched the Messenger 8/2009/2011 three generations of products, and no functional clear distinction, compared with competitors , Messenger is not only a lack of innovation in the governance of issues such as viruses, cyber scams, and Microsoft's consistent lack of favorable regulatory measures.

In addition, MSN users for the current MSN provided by the basic functions are also a lot of complaints, such as offline delivery, breakpoint continuation, screenshot function, group functions and other specific product experience, software companies from Microsoft has been unable to compete with the Internet companies, the long-term lack of innovation and experience of the MSN users are not surprised by the gradual abandonment.

User Churn node: Im interworking, Live MSN shutdown

Messenger from the industry peak to today is not an overnight, in fact, Microsoft in Messenger's overall development plan has not found the right direction, in the global, Messenger user's loss of roughly several important nodes, none of which is from Microsoft Messenger's management error.

In the 2006, Microsoft Messenger and Yahoo communication interoperability, although users of the interconnection is limited to the text and contact list is dissatisfied, but this behavior still caused a certain number of MSN users in one Direction loss, The end result is that Yahoo has become the U.S. 2007 Instant Messaging market share ranked first, and Microsoft has not been so many new users. Including Microsoft's participation in China and other various IM interconnection has failed to achieve a breakthrough in the share, in the Internet companies compete with the user experience, Microsoft Messenger is often at a disadvantage.

If interconnection gives Messenger users the opportunity to move on the basis of preserving the original relationship chain, Microsoft's announcement of the closure of the MSN under the same MSN service in 2010 gave the Messenger user a reason to leave. For at least 30 million users, the personal records of many years have been hastily shifted by Microsoft's hasty decision, damaging the image of Messenger.

Rochuan, the former MSN China Head, said in an interview with Tencent technology that Messenger was not accidentally integrated into Skype. Unfortunately, the MSN MSN did not do a good job, did not go to social aspects. He thinks that if Windows Live MSN can do it, it can form a chain reaction. Because the MSN MSN Update will change on MSN, can spread through the friend chain.

The problem with the system?

The decision to Microsoft's headquarters was regrettable when Rochuan talked about the shutdown of Windows Live MSN. In fact, Microsoft's rigid system is also an objective factor in the demise of Messenger, according to domestic media reports, in the "Microsoft-msn Division-MSN Overseas Headquarters-MSN Asia-Pacific Headquarters-MSN China" system, MSN China's right to speak is actually not big, almost all problems need to be asked for instructions , it is difficult to adapt to the fast pace of the Internet.

A former MSN Chinese executive said on the subject that MSN was restricted by Chinese law and by Microsoft's legal department in China. A typical example is MSN China had envisaged to send text messages to users, used for simple short prompts, after a lap of Microsoft application, Microsoft Legal department granted down, but insisted on the text after the message to add a statement and so on, the result of this statement is lengthy and complex, more than the content of text messages, Finally, MSN China gave up the plan.

Even after the incorporation of Skype, the future of Microsoft in the Instant Messaging market still have a very difficult way to go, mainstream im increasingly affected by various social networking sites, Skype users of the growth is due to the demand for high-quality voice dialogue, and this part of the demand for the current mainstream social platforms are not satisfied, But that does not mean that Microsoft is comfortable, and that Skype is hard not to be the next Messenger once the user's needs change.

How to get Skype to adapt to the Internet's rhythm will be the biggest challenge for Microsoft in the future.