Microsoft finally depends on his old call and messages app Skype, who acquired it 14 years ago, which means the end of an era for one of the oldest internet communication apps.
For users, Skype goes offline on May 5, when Microsoft replaces it with a free version of Microsoft teams. Teams have been the successor to Microsoft for years and offers the same type of video calls and group meetings.
“Skype has been an integral part of shaping modern communication and supporting countless meaningful moments, and we are honored that we are part of the trip,” said Jeff Teeper, President of Collaborative Apps and Platforms, in a statement.
As part of the move, Microsoft will not dismiss employees who have worked on the app, a spokeswoman said.
Skype users will be able to transfer old account details to their new teams account, including old chats and contacts, according to a blog post from the company.
Skype was founded by a group of Nigle's entrepreneurs and first released in 2003. The online marketplace eBay took over two years later for $ 2.6 billion, before Microsoft bought it for $ 8.5 billion in 2011, which was the biggest acquisition at the time.
At the height, around 2016, Skype had 300 million users. But the popularity had decreased over the years, assigned by rival message platforms such as WhatsApp and professional workplace apps such as Slack. From 2023, Skype only had 36 million users.
Microsoft debuted teams in 2016 and has grown into one of the most popular workplace platforms in the industry, with more than 320 million users. Now the company will double its investment.
Teams became Microsoft's message platform from Focus from almost the moment it was released, after the company said that the Skype for business in 2017 would progress, which came into force four years later.
Skype users who had paid for credits still have access to them to the next extension period, the company said. Even after the platform is switched off in May, the Skype -Kiespad is available for paid users within teams.
