For years, Skype was the go-to platform for online calls. It changed how people connected across the world, offering free video and voice calls long before smartphones made such communication effortless.
But technology moves fast, and once-dominant services can quickly fall behind. Now, after more than two decades, Skype is shutting down, reports Hotnews.
Microsoft announced that Skype will stop operating on May 5, 2025. The company is retiring the service to focus on Teams, its newer communication platform.
Microsoft says this move will simplify its offerings and improve its business-focused tools.
Skype launched in 2003 and became a global sensation. It revolutionized online calling and made long-distance communication cheaper and more accessible.
By the late 2000s, millions of people relied on Skype for both personal and professional use.
But in recent years, it has struggled to keep up with newer and more efficient platforms like Zoom and Slack.
One major reason for Skype's decline was its outdated technology. It was designed before the smartphone era, and adapting it to modern devices was challenging.
When remote work became more common, Microsoft shifted its focus to Teams. By integrating it with Office apps, the company made Teams the preferred tool for businesses.
Microsoft says it will make the transition easy for Skype users. Accounts can be moved to Teams, where existing credentials will work.
Conversations and contacts will also be automatically transferred.
Skype's shutdown is part of a pattern for Microsoft. Over the years, the company has retired several major products, including Internet Explorer and Windows Phone.
Even Google has faced similar challenges, scrapping communication apps like Hangouts and Duo after they failed to gain traction.
Microsoft has not shared how many people still use Skype. However, the company confirmed that Teams now has about 320 million active users each month. No layoffs will result from Skype’s closure.
When Microsoft bought Skype in 2011 for $8.5 billion, it had around 150 million monthly users.
By 2020, that number had dropped to 23 million. Despite a temporary boost during the pandemic, Skype never fully recovered.
Microsoft acknowledged Skype’s impact, calling it a key part of shaping modern communication.
“We are honored to have been part of this journey,” the company said in its statement.
