At approximately a year after it made available for download Windows Live Messenger 9.0 (2009) RTW, namely the Wave 3 release, Microsoft is moving onward with the development of the Wave 4 build of its instant messaging client. Although it is clear that the Redmond company is currently cooking Windows Live Messenger Wave 4, official details shared with the public are extremely scarce, missing almost completely. However, make no mistake about it, silence does not equal inaction for the software giant, who is already dogfooding, and even testing Windows Live Messenger Wave 4/2010, a release planned for availability in the coming year.

Included with this article are two screenshots illustrating Windows Live Messenger Wave 4/2010, courtesy of Neowin. It’s not much, but it’s still more than the information Microsoft has managed to share on the next iteration of its IM client. As you can see from the screenshots, Windows Live Messenger Wave 4/2010 is in Beta stage at this point in time. However, the Beta bits are, of course, reserved for the Redmond company’s limited pool of testers, as Microsoft hasn’t released the development milestone for the public.

One thing is clear from this very early look at the next generation of Windows Live Messenger. Version 2010/Wave 4 of the instant messaging client  will come to the table with social networking integration. In the Contacts window of Windows Live Messenger Wave 4 users will be able to receive updates from Twitter, Facebook and, of course, Windows Live. Microsoft is in this manner simplifying access to top social networks worldwide by bridging destinations such as Twitter and Facebook into Windows Live Messenger.

The second image features a conversation window. And yes, it is clear from the Windows Live Messenger Wave 4/2010 Beta that Microsoft has indeed listened to customer feedback and acted accordingly. What you can see in the screenshot is an example of Tabbed conversation in Windows Live Messenger Wave 4, a feature that has continually been requested by end users.

Microsoft has so far offered no confirmation indicating that the leaked screenshots are indeed real, nor should end users expect the company to do so. However, the leaks, in combination to the Beta tag featured in the screenshots point to the fact that the first public Beta development milestone of Windows Live Messenger Wave 4/2010 might not be that far away.

Windows Live Messenger 9.0 (2009) 14.0.8089.726 is available for download here.

Windows Live Mail 2009 14.0.8089.0726 is available for download here.

Windows Live Family Safety is available for download here.

Windows Live Writer 14.0.8089.726 is available for download here.

Windows Live Photo Gallery 2009 14.0.8081.709 is available for download here.