Goodbye, Skype: Microsoft pulls the plug on video calling app

Skype

Skype, the video calling app that was once a household name, is finally  shutting down. In a statement, Microsoft said that the app will officially shut down in May 2025. "In order to streamline our free consumer communications offerings so we can more easily adapt to customer needs, we will be retiring Skype in May 2025 to focus on Microsoft Teams (free), our modern communications and collaboration hub," said Microsoft.

Why is Microsoft shutting down Skype?

According to the company, with its Teams app, users have access to many of the same core features they use in Skype, such as one-on-one calls and group calls, messaging, and file sharing. "Additionally, Teams offers enhanced features like hosting meetings, managing calendars, and building and joining communities for free," said Microsoft.

Launched in 2003, Skype changed the way people communicated online. It made video calls common long before smartphones took over. It was one of the biggest platforms of its time, so much so that Microsoft bought it for $8.5 billion in 2011. The company tried integrating Skype into its products, including Windows, Xbox, and even its now-discontinued Windows phones.

However, Skype began to lose its popularity as other apps like Zoom, WhatsApp, and FaceTime took over. Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, when video calling was at its peak, Skype struggled to compete. Microsoft added new features, including AI tools, to make it more appealing, but it never regained its old popularity.

Back in December, Microsoft stopped selling Skype credits, which allowed people to call regular phone numbers. This move suggested that the company was no longer interested in keeping Skype alive. Instead, it has focused on Teams, a platform built mainly for businesses but now also available for personal use.If these reports are true, Skype users will soon have to switch to Teams or find another video calling app.

Microsoft also said that moving forward, it will no longer offer paid Skype features to new customers, including Skype Credit and subscriptions that allow them to make and receive international and domestic calls.