Skype will be shut down permanently!

On March 1, Microsoft officially announced that it would shut down Skype, the Internet-based voice and video calling service that was the most popular remote communication tool in the mid-2000s.

Microsoft confirmed on X (formerly Twitter) that Skype will “stop service” from May this year. The company also said that users’ login information will be available for the free version of Microsoft Teams in the “next few days.”

Jeff Teper, president of Microsoft 365 Collaboration Applications and Platform, said in an interview: “This is an important moment for us and we are grateful for it. Skype has pioneered online audio and video calls for countless users.”

Microsoft hopes that users will migrate to Teams and continue to connect with each other. However, for many users, Skype carries many precious memories and emotions. It is a smiling face that crosses mountains and seas again and again, a greeting full of longing, and a common memory of a generation.

The reason why Microsoft shut down Skype is to focus resources on the development of new features for Teams, including artificial intelligence (AI) tools. Jeff Teper said Microsoft is working to integrate AI into its product suite, and he also revealed that employees who worked on the Skype team will be transferred to other business areas of the company, and there will be no layoffs.

By 2004, the number of registered users reached 11 million. By 2005, when eBay announced plans to acquire Skype Technologies SA for $2.6 billion, the number of users had grown to 54 million, and Skype expected annual revenue to reach $60 million, mainly from users paying for calls to mobile phones and landlines.

On September 12, 2005, Internet company eBay announced its intention to acquire voice Internet company Skype for approximately $2.6 billion.

Under eBay, Skype’s user base grew to more than 405 million by 2008, and communication revenue also increased.

In 2009, the economy was in recession, eBay’s sales growth turned negative, and its stock price fell to its lowest level since 2001. Donahoe announced in a statement that eBay would launch Skype’s initial public offering as part of the spin-off, while highlighting the news that Skype launched an app for Apple’s iPhone.

However, Skype did not reach its goal of 1 billion active users. With the rise of mobile Internet, the way users communicate has changed significantly: Apple iMessage and FaceTime are popular on iOS devices, and in 2014, Facebook acquired WhatsApp and launched a cross-border calling function.

At the same time, Skype has undergone several interface redesigns, but has been criticized by loyal users.

During the epidemic, the demand for remote work and online learning has surged, and a large number of users need to use video calls. Although Skype usage has increased, people prefer to use Zoom, and Cisco, Facebook and Google also have video services.

In addition, Microsoft has focused its main efforts on Teams, and as a result, Teams has more and more users, with more than 320 million users in 2023. In contrast, Microsoft once said that Skype had more than 300 million monthly active users in 2016, but as of 2023, its daily active users have shrunk to 36 million.