Microsoft has notified its Outlook.com customers that it will discontinue support for Google and Facebook chat in the next few weeks.
According to Microsoft, the move is due Google’s decision to discontinue the chat protocol that is used by the Google Talk platform.
According to reports, Google is replacing Google Talk with Hangouts, which does not support open-sourced Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol XMPP, reported Silicon Angle.
The change is likely to resist Outlook to integrate with Google Chat.
The company did not disclose any particular reason behind removing Facebook chat option from Outlook, but it is understood that the move is to promote its own Skype chat.
The tech titan highlighted that its People page, which integrates Facebook and Google with Outlook, will not be affected by the change, and users will be updated with the latest contacts.
Microsoft is reportedly promoting and recommending its own products including Skype and Outlook chat to users in order to stay connected with their contacts.
Skype now allows users to make video calls from their Outlook inboxes.
