Modern Skype app being nixed in favor of desktop version

Microsoft is putting the Modern version of Skype out to pasture in an effort to streamline the number of potential Skype clients on your Windows 8.1 devices.

The move is a precursor to Windows 10 where the difference between a Modern app and a desktop program is blurred thanks to the ability to run any Modern app in a window on the new operating system.

Aga Guzik, head of Desktop Product Marketing for Skype, states on the Skype Garage & Updates blog the this will begin to take place next month.

Starting on July 7, we’re updating PC users of the Windows modern application to the Windows desktop application, and retiring the modern application.

There of course is no need to wait.

You can go ahead and uninstall the Modern version of Skype by Right Clicking on its tile in Windows 8.1 and selecting the Uninstall option.

The desktop version of Skype can then be downloaded and installed allowing you to make the transition immediately.  By logging into your same Skype account/password all of your contacts and info, including conversations from the last month, will transfer over to the desktop version.

If you happen to be using a Surface RT or Surface 2, both of which run on Windows RT 8.1, you will continue to use the Modern version of Skype since you can not run the desktop (x86) version of the software anyway.

So what does this mean for new Universal Windows Platform apps on Windows 10?

According to the blog post they are still tracking and the opportunity to try them out and provide feedback will come later this year. I suspect the desktop version will be the bridge until the universal versions are available.

But, wait...there's probably more so be sure to follow me on Twitter and Google+.