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Scotsman
06-05-2025
- Business
- Scotsman
Has Skype shut down? Closure explained and what it means
Watch more of our videos on and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565 Visit Shots! now Skype has been shut down after more than 20 years 📞 Sign up to the weekly Cost Of Living newsletter. Saving tips, deals and money hacks. Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Skype has been 'retired' by Microsoft. The pioneering video call giant has been shuttered in favour of Teams. But what does it mean for users? A pioneer in the world of video calls has been shut down after more than 20 years. Microsoft officially pulled the plug on Skype over the bank holiday weekend. It marks the end of the one-time giant of videotelephony, which fell out of favour and was usurped over the pandemic by the likes of Zoom and Teams. Skype officially shut down yesterday (May 5) following an announcement earlier this year revealing its days were numbered. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad But what does the closure mean for users? Here's all you need to know: Has Skype been shut down? Microsoft has announced it will shut down Skype on May 5. | SOPA Images/LightRocket via Gett Skype, which had once been synonymous with video calling, was officially shut down on May 5 - more than two decades after its launch back in 2003. Bought by Microsoft in 2011, it fell out of favour with users who opted for services like Zoom and Teams during the pandemic. Al Jazeera reports that Microsoft was closing down Skype to 'streamline its services and prioritise Teams for communication and collaboration'. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad What does the closure mean for Skype users? On its website, Microsoft explains: 'Skype users will have the option to move to Microsoft Teams Free, which offers many of the same core features and more. Sign in to Microsoft Teams Free on any supported device using your Skype credentials and your contacts and chats will automatically be transferred. 'You will also receive a notification in the Skype app prompting you to take action to migrate your data.' Microsoft added that the Skype Dial Pad is still available to remaining paid users from the Skype web portal and within Teams Free. Have you got a story you want to share with our readers? You can now send it to us online via YourWorld at . It's free to use and, once checked, your story will appear on our website and, space allowing, in our newspapers.
Scotsman
06-05-2025
- Business
- Scotsman
Has Skype shut down? Closure explained and what it means
Skype has been shut down after more than 20 years 📞 Sign up to the weekly Cost Of Living newsletter. Saving tips, deals and money hacks. Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Skype has been 'retired' by Microsoft. The pioneering video call giant has been shuttered in favour of Teams. But what does it mean for users? A pioneer in the world of video calls has been shut down after more than 20 years. Microsoft officially pulled the plug on Skype over the bank holiday weekend. It marks the end of the one-time giant of videotelephony, which fell out of favour and was usurped over the pandemic by the likes of Zoom and Teams. Skype officially shut down yesterday (May 5) following an announcement earlier this year revealing its days were numbered. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad But what does the closure mean for users? Here's all you need to know: Has Skype been shut down? Microsoft has announced it will shut down Skype on May 5. | SOPA Images/LightRocket via Gett Skype, which had once been synonymous with video calling, was officially shut down on May 5 - more than two decades after its launch back in 2003. Bought by Microsoft in 2011, it fell out of favour with users who opted for services like Zoom and Teams during the pandemic. Al Jazeera reports that Microsoft was closing down Skype to 'streamline its services and prioritise Teams for communication and collaboration'. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad What does the closure mean for Skype users? On its website, Microsoft explains: 'Skype users will have the option to move to Microsoft Teams Free, which offers many of the same core features and more. Sign in to Microsoft Teams Free on any supported device using your Skype credentials and your contacts and chats will automatically be transferred. 'You will also receive a notification in the Skype app prompting you to take action to migrate your data.' Microsoft added that the Skype Dial Pad is still available to remaining paid users from the Skype web portal and within Teams Free.
Perth Now
06-05-2025
- Business
- Perth Now
End of an online era as Microsoft closes Skype
Skype, the once-popular video call service, has ended operations after more than 20 years. Owner Microsoft had announced the move in February, encouraging Skype users to migrate to its communications app Teams. "As we say goodbye to Skype, we want to thank our incredible community. Over the years, you've connected with family, friends, and colleagues across the world," the Skype team said in a post on the service's official X page on Monday. "This isn't the end - it's a new beginning. Join us on Microsoft Teams Free and continue making great memories." The service stops being available from Tuesday. Skype was founded in Luxembourg in 2003 by Niklas Zennström of Sweden and Janus Friis of Denmark. The service ushered in an era of online communication as it allowed a mass audience to make free voice and video calls over the internet for the first time. It was particularly popular for international communication as it allowed users to avoid high telephone costs that had been inescapable until then. At its peak, Skype had several hundred million users a month worldwide. According to the Similarweb statistics service, the number of users has since fallen to about 30 million a month. Skype users could not only call other Skype users, but also make calls to landline and mobile numbers. A Skype credit or subscription was required for this feature. Microsoft bought Skype in 2011 for $US8.5 billion and integrated it into its ecosystem, including Windows and Office. Despite this integration, Skype has lost ground to competitors such as Zoom and WhatsApp. But Microsoft Teams, which launched in 2017, has now established itself as one of the leading providers in the collaboration software market and plays a central role in corporate communications.
The Hindu
06-05-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Skype shuts down after 21 years of connecting callers
After 21 years, Microsoft shuts down Skype this week, with free and paid users instead invited to join Microsoft Teams for their video calling needs. The earlier announcement of Skype's end as well as its final shutdown was bittersweet news for many who depended on the audio-video calling service for everything from carrying out business across borders to staying in touch with loved ones across oceans. Skype was a tool used by over 300 million users at its peak and was acquired by Microsoft in 2011, per Washington Post. In later years, the emergence of video calling functions across other apps and platforms such as Meta and Google dented Skype's popularity. Furthermore, advanced video conferencing tools such as Zoom made it seamless to connect huge groups of callers, while Skype lacked such innovative updates. Microsoft invited users to export or delete their Skype data. 'In May 2025, Skype will be retired. This change will impact both free and paid Skype users, but not Skype for Business. Skype users will have the option to move to Microsoft Teams Free, which offers many of the same core features and more,' said the company in a blog post. However, Skype for Business users will not be impacted by the change. Microsoft said that users could sign in to Microsoft Teams Free on any supported device with their Skype credentials, and that their contacts and chats would be automatically transferred.
Al Etihad
06-05-2025
- Business
- Al Etihad
Microsoft shuts down once-popular video call service Skype
6 May 2025 08:37 Washington (dpa) Skype, the once-popular video call service, is ceasing operations on Monday after more than 20 years. Owner Microsoft had announced the move in February, encouraging Skype users to migrate to its communications app Teams."As we say goodbye to Skype, we want to thank our incredible community. Over the years, you've connected with family, friends, and colleagues across the world," the Skype team said in a post on the service's official X page on Monday."This isn't the end-it's a new beginning. Join us on Microsoft Teams Free and continue making great memories."The service stops being available from Tuesday. Skype was founded in Luxembourg in 2003 by Niklas Zennström of Sweden and Janus Friis of Denmark. The service allowed a mass audience to make free voice and video calls over the internet for the first was particularly popular for international communication as it allowed users to avoid high telephone costs which had been inescapable until then. At its peak, Skype had several hundred million users per month worldwide. According to the Similarweb statistics service, the number of users has since fallen to around 30 million per month. Skype users could not only call other Skype users, but also make calls to landline and mobile numbers. A Skype credit or subscription was required for this bought Skype in 2011 for $8.5 billion and integrated it into its ecosystem, including Windows and Office. Despite this integration, Skype has lost ground to competitors such as Zoom and WhatsApp. But Microsoft Teams, which launched in 2017, has now established itself as one of the leading providers in the collaboration software market and plays a central role in corporate communications.
