Microsoft has announced that it will retire Skype on May 5, 2025, to streamline its communication offerings and focus on its more modern platform, Microsoft Teams. Users are encouraged to transition to Teams, which offers similar functionalities along with enhanced features like calendar management and meeting hosting.
Skype, launched in 2003, revolutionized internet communication by offering free voice calls between computers and affordable rates for calls to landlines and mobile phones. However, in recent years, it has struggled to maintain its position against competitors like WhatsApp and Zoom.
Jeff Teper, Microsoft’s president of collaborative apps and platforms, stated that the decision aims to simplify Microsoft’s communication offerings and deliver more innovation by focusing on Teams. Users can migrate their contacts and data to Teams or export them before the shutdown.
This move marks the end of an era for Skype, which played a significant role in the evolution of internet-based communications.
