Skype for Windows Phone 8 update forces Microsoft to shut People Hub integration

"We are working with the Windows Phone team to resolve the issue and to enable the integration again in a future release."-Raul Liive, beta program manager, Microsoft's Skype Division

Windows Phone 8 users might be sad to find out that the latest update to Skype for Windows Phone 8 brought with it an unwanted consequence. Due to concerns about "device stability," the Skype integration with People Hub has had to be closed temporarily. People Hub lets Windows Phone 8 users more easily get to their contacts, make calls, text, email or IM. It also lets users grab updates from Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. People Hub allows users to create Rooms which are "by-invite only" conversations where calendar events, pictures and notes can be shared with a person or group. Skype says that it is working with the Windows Phone team to return the People Hub integration to Skype. This doesn't affect the ability for Windows Phone 8 users to receive Skype calls with the app running in the background.

The new update, Skype for Windows Phone 8 Preview 2.1, adds an updated chat keyboard with improved autocomplete/autocorrect, and also allows users to find "Buddies" from Windows Live Messenger labeled in the People list. The update has added an option to "toast" notifications for Windows Live Messenger buddies. Additionally, when the app is closed, the reliability of presence and chat and call notifications has been "significantly improved," as is call reliability. Chats will now appear in order based on a "time stamp" and links to some web sites have been repaired.

In May 2011, Microsoft paid $8.5 billion for Skype, which has continued to support the service for rival platforms like iOS and Android.

source: Skype