Microsoft to Shut Down Skype: Farewell to the ‘Rotary Phone’ of Communications
Microsoft is turning off Skype, which once helped put video calls on maps. company Announce It will retire in May on Friday as part of a broader effort Microsoft Teamits conference call service and simplify its free consumer communications products.
The company said customers will have access to many of the same core features found in Skype, such as one-to-one and group phone calls, messaging and file sharing, through its free team options. The Freedom Layer also offers features such as hosting meetings, managing calendars, and building and joining communities.
“This is obviously big news for us and our customers,” Jeff Teper, president of Microsoft 365 Collaborative Apps+ Platforms, told CNET. “Skype really paves the way for audio video on the web, and we have reflected a lot on the team over the past seven years.”
He added: “We think it’s the right time to provide customers with easier and more innovation by really focusing our team.”
From Skype to Team
First released in 2003, Skype played a major role in the narration call for videos and IPs, especially in an era when international calls were expensive. From long-distance chats with friends and family to virtual classroom field trips, and media companies like CNN use it to attract guests remotely, Skype plays a major role in making technology a part of everyday life. But its role in the market continues to evolve as consumers move to mobile minutes or other video call solutions such as Microsoft Teams and FaceTime.
Microsoft introduced the team in 2017 as a hub for communicating and collaborating with chat, call and file sharing. Its usage was picked up during the Covid-19 pandemic, and so was its usage. It is worth noting that in NBA games, Virtual fans – including Shaquille O’Neal and Barack Obama – Showcase via Team Technology.
Adoption continues to rise. The company said the team is now four times the record of consumer conference calls compared to two years ago.
Teper said that in the past few years, the increase in team usage has allowed the company to verify that changes are now made. The company continues to add more features such as emojis and filters.
What should Skype users do
According to Microsoft, Skype retains a fan base – people who have been using the 22-year-old service since the beginning. The company declined to share details about its user base.
Users will choose to export data to keep their Skype call logs, chat or upgrade to the team through free products. Users can still log in to their Skype account to view past calls and chats.
Carolina Milanesi, an analyst at market research firm Creative Strategies, said the move is not surprising given Microsoft’s growing focus on the team.
“Honestly, I think that might happen soon,” she told CNET. “From a consumer perspective, it feels like people who are still using Skype do more in habit than because it offers something particularly unique.”
“Rotary phone for communication”
Whether Skype represents the end of an era may depend onAbout the age of the person you are asking.
“It almost feels like a rotating phone for communications, and the younger generation doesn’t know how to use it,” Milansi said. “But it does mark the end of an era in terms of how we communicate and the role social media plays in messaging and calling.”
The move is also in line with Microsoft’s history of phasing out older technologies such as Windows Phones.
“As with any technology platform’s sunset, this move will make a bunch of people feel sad,” said JP Onger, an analyst at Forrester Research, research firm. “But the heyday of Skype is past. This decision makes sense because the world Skype no longer exists.”
