I can't understand how Microsoft cans the API while their own official clients work like crap. I mean use Skype on Windows Phone for a couple days and you just want to throw the device at a wall (despite the good voice quality). Same counts for the Windows desktop Skype client - which is full of advertisement & a poor piece of software - even though I pay regularly for Skype-credits ads won't go away. At least on OSX and even (despite outdated version) on Linux things are better. Also on Android the official version causes many troubles (overheating of some Android devices, continue ringing even after picking up call, crashing of the application).

3rd party apps on desktop or mobile (like on Harmattan - despite no video call) work very well and are compatible with the paid services.

But I don't even ask why Microsoft does it, because the general rule simply is: Everything touched by Microsoft is doomed.

Unfortunately I (have!) to use Skype a lot and on a daily basis. There's no alternative available which offers the same stuff and is available on several devices. I'm open to try out other stuff if someone knows about alternatives (I'm not talking about normal SIP accounts which I already use) and would at least try to convince my contacts to use them...

And btw: I thought only the API for desktop software will be closed? Or did I missunderstand that & infact it affects any kind of platform?