微软宣布3月15日关闭MSN 中国大陆可继续使用

　　1月9日下午消息，微软周二向Windows Messenger Live(MSN)用户发出通知称，该产品将于3月15日停止向多数用户提供服务，Messager用户可以直接使用原有ID登录Skype，所有账户和好友信息将被保留。Windows Messenger Live(MSN)服务就只会在中国大陆继续运营。

　　微软在通知中称：“2013年3月15日，除了中国大陆地区外，我们将在全球关闭现有的Messenger服务，并将Messenger的优秀功能与Skype整合到一起。升级Skype并使用微软账号(与你的Messenger ID相同)后，你所有的Messenger联系人都将显示出来。你可以像以前一样与他们展开即时通讯或视频聊天，还可以在手机和平板电脑中探索新的方式与Skype保持联系。”

　　2012年11月，微软曾宣布2013年第一季度将会在全球范围内用Skype替换Windows Live Messenger(MSN)，中国大陆除外。

　　Microsoft on Wednesday announced that its instant messaging service Messenger will be officially shut down on March 15, reminding users to move to Skype, the real-time Internet communication service it bought in 2011.

　　In an email to users titled "Important info about your Messenger account," Microsoft said Messenger's more than 100 million users can migrate to Skype by signing in with their Microsoft accounts and enjoy features like instant messaging, video calling on cell phones and screen sharing。

　　Microsoft acquired the VoIP (voice over Internet Protocol) service Skype in May 2011 for 8.5 billion U.S. dollars and planned to gradually merge it into its every product, like Xbox and Windows Phone。

　　Last November, the software giant announced it will move Messenger's users to Skype in the first quarter of 2013 with the exception of Chinese mainland where Messenger will continue to be available。

　　Microsoft's Messenger service is often referred as "MSN" as it was first launched as "MSN messenger" in 1999.

　　In June 2009, on the 10th anniversary of Messenger's release, Microsoft said the service attracted over 330 million active users each month worldwide。