Messaging Everywhere - confusion regarding current status of feature

[poit57]

I have an old computer that has been on the fast Insider ring for months, but I don't use the machine regularly enough, so I only used the "Messaging Everywhere" feature a couple times.

On June 28, Windows Central published the following post explaining that this feature has been pulled in favor of moving the messaging functionality to future versions of the Skype UWP app.
Messaging Everywhere pulled from Anniversary Update, but will live on in new Skype Windows app | Windows Central

After that date, I still saw occasional SMS notifications with an option to respond pop up from my notification center on the computer running the latest Insider builds. These were usually hours after I'd already responded to the message from my phone because of how seldom I checked this computer, but if I clicked on the notification itself instead of the reply box, it would open the Messaging+Skype app. I was surprised by this after reading that support for SMS messaging was being pulled from Windows 10, but I figured the app was still installed on my computer from previous Insider builds.

I can still open the app from the computer, but the last SMS that synced from my phone to the computer is from July 22, a little over 3 weeks after Microsoft made the announcement to pull support. I figured that the still available, though not completely functioning Messaging+Skype app was just something that would be stuck on my Insider test machine, but upon upgrading to the official Anniversary Update on my main desktop PC, I'm still getting these same text notifications that open a "Messaging" app on my computer.

This "Messaging" app still only shows messages as recently as July 22, but it continues to notify me every time my phone receives a new message. Has there been any more news about Microsoft's status with turning off this "messaging everywhere" feature or why the Messaging app was included as part of the Anniversary update? I wasn't aware of it being on my computer with the 1511 version of Windows 10.

 

[gbm97]

I have the messaging app still installed. Not working, just messages from way back. I as well still get the odd incoming message on my tablet, late with a non interacting message received popup.
I find it odd that the Messaging app is still present while in its non functional state at roll out time.
If it was a non functional Facebook app the earth would tremble.
I never liked Skype but have it installed (Preview) to keep my eye on its progress with the messaging everywhere transition.
Looking forward to the progress...but why Skype?

 

[xandros9]

Cortana always had "send a text message to X saying Y" functionality in pre-Anniversary/Redstone versions and the quick reply box that appears on the notification is piggybacking off of that functionality. It doesn't sync texts or anything, it just sends a command to Cortana, which then handles it on your phone.