Skype is dead — Microsoft drops the call after 14 years of neglect to favor Teams: "We know this is a big deal for our users"
Microsoft officially shuts down Skype but recommends Teams as a plausible alternative for video calls and messaging.

Earlier this year, Microsoft confirmed that it was preparing to retire Skype. The messaging and calling app has existed since 2003, but Microsoft acquired the platform 14 years ago.
Today, on May 5, Microsoft is pulling the plug on Skype as it officially retires the app. While speaking to TechCrunch, Jeff Teper, president of Microsoft 365 collaborative Apps and platforms, indicated:
“We know this is a big deal for our Skype users, and we’re very grateful for their support of Skype and all the learnings that have factored into Teams over the last seven years. At this point, putting all our focus behind Teams will let us give a simpler message and drive faster innovation.”
As expected, Microsoft has been doubling its efforts on Teams and urging users to transition. Additionally, the company allowed users to export their Skype chats to Teams to make the transition more seamless.
While it remains unclear exactly how many people will be impacted by Skype shutting down, Microsoft's data from 2023 shows that the platform had over 36 million users. In comparison, Microsoft Teams surpassed 320 million active monthly users worldwide around the same time.
This move could be a bid by the tech giant to drive more users to Microsoft Teams and increase its user base. As you may know, Microsoft launched a new app for Teams, which is twice as fast and consumes 50% less disk space than the previous build.
To that end, it's unclear whether users will be eager to transition to Teams, especially in the new era of communication and the vast availability of messaging and video calling platforms like Zoom, WhatsApp, and countless more.
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Kevin Okemwa is a seasoned tech journalist based in Nairobi, Kenya with lots of experience covering the latest trends and developments in the industry at Windows Central. With a passion for innovation and a keen eye for detail, he has written for leading publications such as OnMSFT, MakeUseOf, and Windows Report, providing insightful analysis and breaking news on everything revolving around the Microsoft ecosystem. While AFK and not busy following the ever-emerging trends in tech, you can find him exploring the world or listening to music.
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