Microsoft to Close Skype in May, Bringing an End to Its 21-Year Journey. #techprenour #newstoday
Microsoft announced Friday that it will retire Skype in May, marking the end of an era for the video-calling service that was acquired for $8.5 billion in 2011. As part of the transition, many of Skype’s features will be integrated into Microsoft Teams, its flagship platform for business collaboration and videoconferencing. Users will be able to log into Teams using their existing Skype accounts, signaling the company’s effort to streamline its communications offerings.
Originally founded in 2003 by Estonian engineers, Skype revolutionized communication by enabling free internet-based voice and video calls, making global communication more accessible. At its peak, Skype had around 170 million users and was integral to reducing international calling costs. However, since the launch of Teams in 2017 and the rise of competitors like Zoom during the pandemic, Skype has seen a steady decline.
With its focus now on Teams, Microsoft is consolidating its services and adapting to the growing demand for business-oriented collaboration platforms. This shift reflects the company’s long-term vision of creating a unified platform for virtual communication and collaboration.
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