In a rather quiet fashion, Skype has stated they will be ending their support for its TV app. According to them, smartphones are the future and TVs are obsolete. In the meantime, Apple rolls full steam ahead in the next major frontier.
SKYPE CUTS TV AFTER 7 YEARS; NO ONE NOTICES
Believe it or not, the TV app was first brought into the world in 2010. If you never knew Skype TV even existed, you are far from alone. Initially, a wide range of TV manufacturers picked up on the trend thinking it would explode. It faired well for a while, that is until the smartphone entered out lives. About 1.5 billion smartphones have been sold in 2015. Users would much rather use these devices for Skype compared to their TVs. The result is a slow, depressing decline into abortion.
SUPPORT FOR TV APP DWINDLING
Just because the support was cut, that doesn’t mean users can’t still Skype on TV. Devices that can mirror smartphone displays on their TV screens, for example, will accomplish this. Also, many television manufacturers still carry the app. It isn’t going away, it will just not be maintained. Well, like any failed relationship, maintenance is the key to longevity. Microsoft will only continue to support their baby video chat program until June of this year. After that, they are on their own. It will now just be a waiting game. Users can still access the app on the appropriate TVs, but it will only get buggier and more annoying to use. Eventually, it will become a shell of its former self and Microsoft will treat it as the troubled child that lost it’s way in society. Apple, on the other hand, will profit off its pain.
APPLE VENTURES ON TO THE NEXT FRONTIER
With Skype out of the conversation, companies like Apple will have more space to compete in what they believe to be the next frontier. Living room entertainment is set to take off in a big way and Apple is preparing themselves for it. The fourth-generation Apple TV has just been released. Despite the device’s recent popularity, the newest version promises some impressive innovation for the future of entertainment.
