14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft is currently working to push Windows Live Messenger to the next level, and the company is past the dogfooding stage for its next iteration of the instant messaging client. At the end of 2009, testing for Windows Live Messenger Wave 4 was extended beyond Microsoft employees “eating their own dog food” and as a direct consequence, the first details on the software managed to find their way in the wild. At this point in time, the Windows Live Messenger Wave 4 leaks are limited at screenshots of the IM client, but are also sufficient to at least deliver a taste of what Microsoft is cooking.
Just feast your eyes on the screenshots included at the bottom of this article, courtesy of Livesino (via LiveSide). Additional Windows Live Messenger Wave 4 leaked screenshots can be viewed via this link, the first details related to the IM client that were made public by third-party sources. Despite the leaks, Microsoft noted that it had no information it wished to share through official channels on the evolution of Windows Live Wave 4, Messenger included.
As the first Windows Live Messenger Wave 4 leaked details made it clear, the next version of the instant messaging client brings to the table Tabbed Conversation. The new feature allows end users to manage conversations with different buddies much in the same manner as they would administer opened tabs in modern browsers which support Tabbed Navigation. Along with Tabbed Conversation, Windows Live Messenger Wave 4 also sports rearranged buttons, including those for Photos, Video, Winks and Background. Users will now be able to access both Winks and Emoticons under a single menu.
Another notable improvement is the enhanced integration with Windows 7. Messenger Wave 4 will offer Windows 7 users the possibility to enjoy full Taskbar Thumbnail Preview functionality. The next generation IM client from Microsoft embraces Windows 7’s new GUI even further, allowing users to manage their status right from the Thumbnail Preview.
Microsoft also labored to connect Windows Live Messenger Wave 4 with Windows Live Photos and Bing Images. In this manner, the IM client can share not only images stored locally but also online content, through the company’s two services.
But while the screenshots leaked do offer a sneak peek at Windows Live Messenger Wave 4, users must understand that the instant messaging client is still a work in progress. Microsoft hasn’t indicated a release date as of yet, nor the deadline for the availability of the first public Beta development milestone. At the same time, official details from the Redmond company are scarce to say the least, and in this context, the leaked information might not end up being an accurate representation of the final version of Windows Live Messenger Wave 4.
