Microsoft to Withdraw from 20-Year-Old Internet Calling Service Skype in May

Microsoft has officially announced that it will shut down Skype, the internet calling service that has been around for nearly 20 years. This decision will take effect on May 5. Users are encouraged to switch to Microsoft Teams, which is another communication platform that Microsoft offers. The good news for Skype users is that they can sign into Teams for free using their existing Skype accounts. When they make the switch, their chats and contacts will automatically transfer to Teams, making the transition easier. However, Microsoft has not shared how many users or employees will be affected by this change.

In a statement to the media, Microsoft explained that closing Skype will help streamline its communication services and allow the company to concentrate more on Teams. They acknowledged that Skype has played a significant role in changing the way people communicate and expressed pride in being part of its journey. The shutdown of Skype was first noticed by tech site XDA Developers, where they found a message in the latest version of the Skype app for Windows confirming the platform’s closure.

Many people had suspected for a while that Skype was on a downward slope, especially with the rise of other platforms. Despite this, Skype continued to receive updates and improvements. However, its technology wasn’t well-suited for smartphones, contributing to its decline. Skype was introduced in 2003 and revolutionized the way people made voice and video calls at affordable prices, attracting millions of users. Yet, in recent years, it has faced tough competition from other applications like Zoom and Slack, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic when online business meetings became essential.

As the pandemic pushed more people to work from home, Microsoft shifted its focus towards Teams, integrating it with its Office software to better cater to businesses that once relied heavily on Skype. Over the years, Skype has become just one of several Microsoft projects that failed to meet expectations. Other major tech companies have also struggled with their communication tools, with Google trying out various apps like Hangouts and Duo.

Microsoft acquired Skype in 2011 for a whopping $8.5 billion, competing with big names like Google and Facebook to secure the deal. At that time, Skype had about 150 million monthly users, but by 2020, this number plummeted to around 23 million, despite a small surge during the pandemic.

Overall, Microsoft’s decision to shut down Skype marks the end of an era for the platform that had once transformed the way we connect through voice and video calls. As users prepare to migrate to Teams, it will be interesting to see how this transition unfolds and how Teams will continue to evolve in meeting the needs of its user base.