Latest news with #SkypeforWindows
Ammon
06-05-2025
- Business
- Ammon
Microsoft has finally killed off Skype
Ammon News - The days of the well-known communication service Skype were already numbered. Now, Microsoft has shut down the service. Users must switch to Microsoft Teams. The end of the digital calling service of yesteryear has been known for some time. Research by XDA Developers into an earlier Skype for Windows preview revealed that Microsoft had built hidden code into this version announcing the end of the service. This hidden code states the following:'Starting in May, Skype will no longer be available. Continue your calls and chats in Teams'.No further announcements have been made, but the message is clear. Microsoft has made its decision and is forcing Skype users to migrate to Microsoft Teams, specifically the consumer version of this tool. No surprise Microsoft's move was not surprising. Skype, which was acquired by the tech giant in 2011 for $8.5 billion, has been used much less in recent years. This has been especially true since 2019, when Microsoft Teams, as well as competing services such as WhatsApp, iMessage, and Discord, gained the upper hand in the VoIP calling and messaging market. To illustrate: during the pandemic, Skype received hardly any attention as an alternative (video) conferencing platform. Until now, Microsoft Teams and Skype have always coexisted for business users. Skype was even used as the backbone for the further expansion of the more popular Teams. In recent years, Microsoft has attempted to revive Skype, for example by adding features such as sending short videos and the AI chat app Bing, the predecessor of Copilot. However, Microsoft has not succeeded in attracting many new users. Necessary patches for Skype were released from time to time. The latest update dates from May 2024, and since December last year, it is no longer possible to purchase Skype credits. Origins of Skype Skype started in 2003 and was one of the most popular VoIP messaging tools at the time. The platform was founded by Swedish IT entrepreneur Niklas Zennström and Danish business partner Janus Friis. These two were also responsible for the P2P platform Kazaa. The VoIP messaging platform initially used a hybrid P2P and client system. After its acquisition by Microsoft in 2011, the service became a fully Azure-based service.
Yahoo
28-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Skype will take its final curtain (and video) call May 5
Microsoft is officially getting rid of Skype as of May 5 and encouraging its users to pick Teams once and for all. In its announcement, the company stated that the move will allow it to "streamline our free consumer communications offerings so we can more easily adapt to customer needs." Microsoft is also far from subtle in its push for Teams and included step-by-step instructions for migrating over. All users need to do is log in with their Skype credentials and their chats and contacts should appear. Teams and Skype users will be able to communicate with each other until the latter shuts down. Microsoft also published an entire YouTube video illustrating how to transition user data. However, anyone who doesn't want to move to Teams can choose to export all of their data and history before May 5. The news is hardly surprising given recent moves such as removing credits and phone numbers from Skype in favor of subscriptions. XDA initially reported the possibility of Skype shutting down, with a Skype for Windows code preview reading, "Starting in May, Skype will no longer be available. Continue your calls and chats in Teams." New users won't be able to access paid Skype features, while current subscribers can use credits and their plan through the end of their renewal period. See for yourself — The Yodel is the go-to source for daily news, entertainment and feel-good stories. By signing up, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy. Skype launched over two decades ago in 2003. Microsoft acquired Skype for $8.5 billion in 2011 — right around the time myself and everyone I knew was desperately searching for a strong enough Wi-Fi connection in their home to talk with friends (yes, really tough situation here) and before video chats became the norm at work. While Skype doesn't really have much to differentiate it in a world filled with the likes of Zoom, FaceTime and, yes, Teams, it's still hard to say goodbye to a service that provided such excitement and connection. Skype felt like a new era of communication and it will be missed.
