The End of an Era: Microsoft Retires Skype in Favor of Teams

The big picture: Microsoft is shutting down Skype in May, ending an era for the once-iconic internet calling platform. The company, which bought Skype in 2011 for $8.5 billion, is steering users toward its Teams app instead.

Why it matters: At its peak, Skype revolutionized digital communication—so much so that "Skyping" became a verb. But as Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft’s own Teams gained traction, Skype faded into the background.

Flashback:

• Launched in 2003, Skype made long-distance calls cheap and easy, disrupting traditional telecom.
• The platform became a household name, bolstered by appearances on The Oprah Winfrey Show and Good Morning America.
• Multiple ownership changes—eBay, private investors, and finally Microsoft—shaped its rocky trajectory.

What’s next: Microsoft says Teams offers the same core features as Skype, plus more collaboration tools. The move aligns with the company’s shift toward workplace and enterprise communication.

Between the lines: Some longtime users feel the loss.

• Serge Nedeltscheff, 68, used Skype to call family overseas: “It felt like calling next door.”
• Jakub Rutkowski, 19, worries about teaching his elderly grandparents a new app: “My grandfather barely understands phones.”

The bottom line: Skype helped define modern video calling, but tech moves fast. Like AIM before it, it’s now making way for the next generation.