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Windows Live Messenger for iPhone, an experience

Jun 23, 2010 10:34 am by ScottIsAFool | 18 comments

As none of us actually own an iPhone, it was rather problematic to actually do any kind of post on the new Messenger app for iPhone other than the PR stuff that’s floating around, so we’ve asked Jas Dhaliwal if he would mind doing a quick guest post for us. Here it is.

Today, Microsoft launched its official Windows Live Messenger app for Apple’s iPhone and iPod Touch in the US, Canada, UK and France. A free download from the App store, Windows Live Messenger for iPhone is a slim downed version of its Windows desktop big brother.

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As soon as you launch the Windows Live Messenger iPhone App, you are able to update your status on Windows Live and see the “social updates” from your friends. You can easily send text, emoticons, nudges, URLs and even photos with your IM messages.

The Hotmail icon (to the right of the status update area) displays new unread email messages. A quick tap on the icon, takes you to the mobile web version of Hotmail within the app itself. The Social tab aggregates all of the activities from your friends. You can filter the content by clicking on “status messages” or “photos” just to see that content. Clicking on the Friends tab, displays the familiar view that Windows Live users will already be accustomed to.

Chatting with friends is easy, by selecting the Chats tab you can easily see the flow of conversation which users will feel familiar with as it is the same kind of chat structure as the SMS flow in messaging. As expected, the new Wave 4 emoticons are all there.

One of the cool new features of the iPhone is app, is the ability to include photos in your status messages. Creating a photo status message from your iPhone is straightforward. Either, take a new picture with your phone, or select one from your local album. Alternatively, you can also pick a photo from your Windows SkyDrive, if you have photos stored there. You can add labels or annotations to your photos and even “style” them with the included photo effects feature

The app also provides push notification alerts, even when the app is closed.

One of the other interesting features, is that the Live Messenger app supports Multiple Points of Presence (MPOP). This means, I can keep my desktop version of Windows Live open and the continue to chat with my friends on the phone app. Updates appear in real time on the desktop client app. As you can in the picture below, Windows Live Messenger also shows you all of the locations that you are signed into, and allows you to easily sign out of them.

Overall, Windows Live Messenger for iPhone is a strong release and has already replaced many of the 3^rd party services that I used previously to connect with friends on Windows Live.

Windows Live Messenger for the iPhone is available here.

Jas is a Community Manager, social web blogger and the resident gadget expert on the BBC Radio Asian Network. You can follow him on Twitter.

This entry was posted in Mobile and tagged iPhone, Messenger, Wave 4. Bookmark the permalink.

http://www.facebook.com/khris Khristopher Ranger
It really is great… BUT… it needs the ability to hide offline contacts. The scrolling to see who’s online takes way too long with a long list of contacts.
http://twitter.com/cwtong Tong
Tried the iPhone version out, not impressive.
1. very slow, even on 3Gs
2. not customizable
3. I cannot copy individual messages, copy, share or forward individual links
4. I also cannot copy links or open the link in Safari when I open the link in Messenger app???
5. cannot read mgroup (http://www.xiaoi.com) sender names, I know mgroup is a specialized service, but the mobile iPhone client should behave like Windows desktop client which can read the sender names.
6. Not able to hide the user icons, portrait mode is already limiting in horizontal space, why I cannot hide the user icons that occupy even more horizontal space?
7. iOS4 has been in beta for several months, I cannot believe an app that released after iOS4 final is still not able to multi-task, given that MS is such a large software maker.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=662373584 Padraig Madden
Does not work outside of the US..
Jon Buckley
I am in the UK and it works just fine?
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=551119507 Brent Vermilyea
Good post on the features, Scott. There should be an update soon, though, to make it compatible with iOS 4′s multitasking capabilities. I wouldn’t hold my breath, though.
And can Microsoft update the messenger on Mac? I’ve had Apple users compliment the IM client, but that was years ago! If Messenger truly is one of Microsoft’s BIG, BIG properties, they should have a quality client for Mac OS.
Tafriedmann
I would like to know how to log off msn on my iphone 3G and how to change usernames so that other people can log on to msn on my iphone.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Dare-Obasanjo/500050028 Dare Obasanjo
To log out, touch your display picture when you’re on the social tab. Touch the last option on that list (it will either be “Appear offline” or it will show “Available (x places)” depending on how many places you’re logged in on) which will take you to a screen such as http://cid-616444ee7a34f417.photos-df.live.com/self.aspx/What%5E4s%20New%20Screenshots/100622%5E_090348.jpg#resId/616444EE7A34F417!11846
http://www.facebook.com/people/Dare-Obasanjo/500050028 Dare Obasanjo
Oops, the correct URL is http://cid-616444ee7a34f417.photos.live.com/self.aspx/What%5E4s%20New%20Screenshots/100622%5E_090425.jpg
dogmai79
There are many, many complaints that the MPOP is not working. I know it doesn’t work for me and I have yet to have another friend have it work. I’ve seen on other sites people complaining and asking how to get it working. I want it working
http://www.facebook.com/people/Dare-Obasanjo/500050028 Dare Obasanjo
dogmai79,
How is the MPOP not working?
Bretc
Why is MS so focused on apps for the iPhone? I see MS employees all over the web talking about their iPhone. Is MS giving up on WinMo7 already? My WinMo apps aren’t being updated. Why? I have been on WinMo for 5 years, and this is the first time I have considered an iPhone. I am not understanding what is going on. Basically, the way I see it, MS is telling me to get an iPhone because at some point I might see WinMo7, and it might be nice, not mature though….MS dropped the ball on its mobile platform. The only thing now that I see as a problem in the iPhone is that horrible iTunes that will try to convert my WMA’s to AAC. So I will create a virutal machine to load iTunes onto.
- jtmat
  Iphone is being used by millions of people… why on earth would Microsoft NOT develop a messenger app for the iPhone? If they don’t do the messenger app, people will use something else… at least MS stay relevant on the iPhone…
  And do you know how many people use the iPhone but NOT a Mac? In other words, how many use an iPhone but have a Windows OS. I don’t either, but I’d bet that is a major reason.
  Relax, winmob 7 will be here soon enough… who knows if it will be the mobile version of vista or Windows 7…
  If I could stand att network, I’d get an iphone… and then I’d also get a winmob 7 device in Jan 2011. Actually, even if on att, I’d stick with my touch pro 2… although, I might grab an iphone off ebay to play around with.
Bretc
Hey Dare. Don’t you have an iPhone?
Revolutions
In the notification picture, he receives a message from an @gmail.com account… how can you get gmail chats from windows live messenger?
- Daysi
  you can use any existing mail address as a passport address.
  - Revolutions
    passport address?
    - http://www.LiveSide.net Kip Kniskern – LiveSide.net
      passport address is the “historical name” for Live ID ;)
Chris
This also works on the ipod touch too.