Microsoft to shut down Skype in May

Microsoft has announced that Skype, the once-popular video-calling service with hundreds of millions of users, will be discontinued in May.

Skype revolutionized online communication by enabling free computer-to-computer voice and video calls worldwide. Although not the first platform of its kind, it played a key role in popularizing internet-based calling.

In a post on X, Skype advised users to transition to Microsoft Teams, where they can continue their conversations with existing contacts. Microsoft, however, declined to comment when approached by BBC News.

Launched in 2003, Skype was acquired by Microsoft in 2011 for $8.5 billion—the company's largest acquisition at the time. It was later integrated into Microsoft's ecosystem, including Xbox and Windows devices. Tech analyst Om Malik once described Skype as one of the "key applications of the modern web," particularly after a major global outage in 2010.

Following news of Skype's impending shutdown, users shared memories of how the service impacted their lives. Many recalled using it to stay in touch with loved ones, long before the rise of smartphones and WhatsApp.

One user on X described the news as the loss of "a fragment of adolescence," while another recounted how Skype was crucial for maintaining a transatlantic relationship. Digital marketing professional Anna Simpson reminisced about video-calling her grandparents in France nearly two decades ago, saying, "Back then, it felt like magic."

When Microsoft acquired Skype, the platform had been downloaded over a billion times and boasted a vast user base. At the time, then-CEO Steve Ballmer envisioned it as the future of real-time communication.

However, as messaging services like WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger surged in popularity, Skype began to lose ground. A 2017 redesign, which borrowed elements from Snapchat, was met with user backlash. Tech journalist Rachel Kaser criticized the update, saying it was "fixing something that was never broken."

By 2021, speculation grew that Skype's days were numbered when Microsoft integrated Teams into Windows 11 by default, while Skype was left out for the first time in years. The COVID-19 pandemic further accelerated Teams' growth as remote work and virtual meetings became the norm.

With Skype's closure confirmed, Microsoft is now encouraging users to migrate to Teams, which offers similar features along with added capabilities like meeting hosting, calendar management, and community building.

Skype users can export their chats, contacts, and call history before the shutdown. Those with paid subscriptions will continue to access services until their next renewal period.