Microsoft has announced its decision to discontinue Skype in May, opting to replace it with a free version of Microsoft Teams. This move comes as VoIP services like WhatsApp, Zoom, FaceTime, and Messenger have taken over the realm of digital communication, pushing traditional Skype-to-cellphone calls into the background.
According to The Verge, existing Skype users will seamlessly transition to Microsoft Teams, where they can access their message history and contacts without the need for a new account. However, Microsoft plans to phase out support for domestic and international calls.
Skype users have the option to export their data, including photos and conversation history. Microsoft has provided a tool to assist those who prefer not to migrate to Teams in reviewing their Skype chat history.
With Skype set to go offline on May 5, users have a 60-day window to make their decision. Microsoft will honor existing Skype credits but will no longer offer new subscriptions to paid Skype features that enable international and domestic calls.
The primary feature lost with Skype's shutdown is the ability to make calls to cellphones. Microsoft's Amit Fulay, vice president of product, told The Verge that while this functionality was valuable during Skype's peak, its relevance has diminished. "Part of the reason is we look at the usage and the trends, and this functionality was great at the time when voice over IP (VoIP) wasn’t available and mobile data plans were very expensive," Fulay explained. "If we look at the future, that’s not a thing we want to be in."
Microsoft acquired Skype for $8.5 billion in 2011, aiming to enhance its focus on real-time video and voice communications and tap into Skype's 160-plus million active users. Although Skype was once a key feature of Windows devices and promoted as a selling point for Xbox consoles, its user base has stagnated in recent years. Microsoft is now shifting its focus to Microsoft Teams for consumer use.
