The announcement was made by Microsoft in the latest update of Skype, marking the end of a service that has been around for more than 20 years.
Skype was once the go-to choice for video and audio calls, especially after Microsoft acquired it in 2011 for $8.5 billion. However, competition from platforms like WhatsApp, Zoom, and Google Meet has eroded Skype’s position. In particular, Microsoft Teams, which launched in 2017, has quickly become a major communications platform, attracting both individual users and businesses.
Despite numerous updates, Skype’s decline has been gradual as users have moved to other services with more features. By 2022, Skype’s revenue had fallen below 200 million EUR and daily users had fallen below 36 million by 2023.
Microsoft wants to move Skype users to Teams
The Skype shutdown notice was spotted by XDA Developers, with Microsoft stating: “Starting in May, Skype will no longer be available. Keep calling and chatting on Teams.”
This clearly affirms Microsoft’s decision to shift its focus to Teams, a service that has seen its user base explode amid the Covid-19 pandemic, from 13 million users in July 2019 to 145 million in 2021. Meanwhile, Skype has been unable to keep up and has been gradually forgotten.
Overall, while Skype has made important contributions to the development of online communication, its time has officially come to an end. Microsoft is now encouraging users to switch to Teams before Skype is permanently shut down, marking a major shift in the digital communication landscape.
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