Skype is joining the growing set of Microsoft-developed consumer apps that will ship 'in the box' with Windows 8.1.



From All About Microsoft:

In a blog post on August 15, Ryan Gavin -- the former Internet Explorer General Manager whose new title is General Manager of the newly created Microsoft Apps & Services unit -- confirmed Skype will be among the apps Microsoft ships as part of the Windows 8.1 package (for both Intel- and ARM-based devices). Other appss in that group include Xbox Music, Video, Games, SkyDrive, Internet Explorer, Photos, Mail, the Bing AppEx apps (like Sports, Finance, Travel) and more.

What's with all the bundling? Didn't Microsoft shy away from doing this after getting its hand slapped by the U.S. antitrust authorities a decade-plus ago? It's a bolder Microsoft these days, with execs noting that if all its competitors bundle, Microsoft should be able to, as well.... Plus, like any of the Microsoft-developed "in-the-box" apps, users can unpin them from their Windows 8.1 Start screens or uninstall them completely, a Microsoft spokesperson confirmed.

  Microsoft confirms Skype will be bundled with Windows 8.1