Microsoft continues paring back the Windows Live family

 

Microsoft is slowly but surely whittling back the unwieldy family of Windows Live services that the company fielded over the past couple of years.

Thelatest candidate set to get the ax is Windows Live Expo, Microsoft’s attempt to take on Craig’s List in the classified ads space. Like the guys over at LiveSide.Net, I am hearing Microsoft will phase out Live Expo as of July 31.

Iasked a Microsoft whether Windows Live Expo’s days are numbered and why, and received a note back from a spokesperson claiming there was nothing new to say about the service.

Lastmonth, Microsoft acknowledged that it was killing off the Windows Live Search Books and Live Search Academic. (Thanks to the readers who submitted the correct names for these.) Microsoft recently pulled the plug on Windows Live for TV, as well.

Microsoftisn’t shooting all of its Live services. The core set of Windows Live services — e-mail (Windows Live Mail), photo sharing (Windows Live Photo Gallery), publishing tool (Windows Live Writer), parental controls (Windows Live OneCare Family Safety), instant messaging (Windows Live Messenger — united via a common installer, are all still alive and kicking.

Infact, Microsoft just rolled out a new test version of Live Writer. And the beta of Windows Live Messenger 9.0 is set to end in late June, meaning Microsoft is set to roll out a newer final another beta version of its consumer IM service soon. And Microsoft announced this week it had signed up No. 1 PC vendor Hewlett Packard to preload the Windows Live toolbar on new PCs, starting next year. (In March 2007, Microsoft signed a similar OEM deal with Lenovo for the Windows Live toolbar.)

Butthe future of services outside of the core Windows Live group seems uncertain. I had been hearing talk for the past few months that Microsoft was readying a new consumer service for public safety. The alleged service, according to sources, was designed to help individuals locate friends and family members during a crisis or catastrophe. (I heard Microsoft might be eveloping a similar service aimed at enterprises, too.) Given that the Windows Live team seems more focused on paring down than building out the Live stable of services, I’m wondering whether this one will ever see the light of day.

Doyou think Microsoft’s strategy to trim back its Windows Live family is a sound one? Or is Microsoft’s cut-back plan conceding ground to Google?

<?xml:namespace prefix = brstyle="clear /> </brstyle="clear:both">