Microsoft will shut down its 20-year-old internet calling service Skype on May 5, citing a desire to simplify its communication offerings and focus on its growing Teams platform. Founded in 2003, Skype revolutionized how people connect across borders with audio and video calls, but struggled to keep up with newer, easier-to-use rivals like Zoom and Slack.
The decline of Skype was partly due to outdated technology that wasn’t suited for the smartphone era. During the pandemic, Microsoft aggressively integrated Teams with other Office apps to tap into corporate users, who had previously been a major base for Skype. To ease the transition, users will be able to log into Teams for free using their existing credentials, with chats and contacts automatically migrating.
Skype’s decline is not an isolated incident for Microsoft; the company has struggled with online communication tools in the past, including Internet Explorer and Windows Phone. Despite this, Microsoft says Skype was “an integral part of shaping modern communications” and thanks users for being a part of its journey.
Source: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/skypes-final-call-set-may-140340378.html