14 DAY TRIAL // Qik, the video streaming service which Skype purchased in January 2011 for $150 million (€110 million), will go dark on April 30, Microsoft announced today.
The reason is pretty simple: most of the features available in Qik are now part of Skype, so it doesn’t make sense to keep all services active, Microsoft says.
Qik apps will be removed from the store, while uploaded, shared and embedded videos will be removed, which means that users who want to save their content need to do it before April 30 when the service goes down officially.
Skype hasn’t commented too much on this decision, but in a FAQ page on the official Qik website it says that users can now benefit from a superior experience by simply downloading the Skype client.
“We are retiring Qik as the Qik video messaging technology has now been incorporated into Skype. Users can now enjoy a great experience on Skype with features such as audio and video calling, instant messaging and video messaging with contacts in their Skype and Microsoft networks,” it says.
As far as Qik customers who purchased a subscription going beyond April 30 are concerned, Skype said that refunds would be offered, so you’ll get your money back in time for the retirement.