Microsoft Is Shutting Down Skype To Focus on Its Teams Application | Global News Avenue

Skype is coming to an end.

Microsoft(MSFT) announced Friday that it will close its Internet phone and chat service it purchased in 2011 for $8.5 billion to support the team, its homegrown voice, video and chat services.

“The way we communicate has evolved significantly over the years,” Jeff Teper, president of Microsoft’s collaborative apps and platforms, wrote in a blog post. He explained that the shift away from Skype is to “simplify our free consumer communications products so that we can adapt to customer needs more easily.”

Teper notes that starting May 5, Skype will no longer be available. The company provides current users with the ability to migrate to teams for free, or they can export data.

Skype was launched in 2003 by Microsoft get In 2011, it was the largest ever for the software giant.

The decision had little impact on Microsoft stock, down about 0.2% at noon Friday. They have dropped by about 4% over the past year.