When was Skype first launched? Internet reacts as Microsoft to shut down the platform in May

Microsoft has recently announced that it will shut down Skype in May 2025. The chat and video call platform was launched in 2003. Microsoft Teams has already emerged as a replacement for the platform.

In an official X post, the company confirmed the decision, stating that users can log into Microsoft Teams with their Skype accounts to retain access to all their contacts and chats.

On February 28, the company stated:

“Starting in May 2025, Skype will no longer be available. Over the coming days you can sign in to Microsoft Teams Free with your Skype account to stay connected with all your chats and contacts. Thank you for being part of Skype..”

Following the announcement, netizens quickly reacted to @PopBase’s X post about the news. Some users expressed disappointment, calling the platform an important part of internet history.

“So long. It’s been a pleasure!” wrote one X user.

“Well that’s something we don’t want to see close down as it was a very important part of the internet,” one user said.

“Will forever be better than discord,” another one claimed.

“Skype will never be forgotten,” another X user commented.

However, not everyone shared similar sentiments. Some users criticized the platform, with one stating they never liked it, while another alleged that they let Zoom dominate the video call market during the pandemic, especially when online classes were at their peak.

“Never liked it,” one user wrote.

“People still use Skype?” asked one user.

“They slept during the pandemic when zoom was taking over,” one user claimed.

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Microsoft is shutting down Skype after two decades

Microsoft has announced that it will discontinue the video calling platform in the first week of May 2025, as it is entirely shifting to Microsoft Teams. The platform was founded by Swedish developer Niklas Zennstrom, Danish developer Janus Friis, and Estonian developers Zahti Heinla, Priit Kasesalu, and Jaan Tallinn.

The initial version of the platform only allowed voice calls between computers. With the release of Skype's 0.9 Beta, the platform introduced paid landline calls from PCs.

In 2015, after discontinuing some of its proprietary communication products like Windows Live Messenger, the Redmond company attempted to incorporate the platform into Windows 10. However, this integration lasted only nine months, and in the following update, Microsoft removed the distinct apps it had built for phone calls, messaging, and video calling.

The platform's popularity skyrocketed in 2005 with the release of the Beta 2.0 version. As per Britannica, that year, the video calling platform had roughly 50 million registered users. By 2010, that figure had grown tenfold to 600 million.

In 2005, eBay acquired the video calling platform for $2.5 billion, along with potential bonuses of $500 million. Later, eBay sold 14 percent of the platform to its founders and 56 percent to a group of buyers for nearly $2 billion. In 2011, Microsoft purchased the platform for $8.5 billion.

Now, Microsoft is shutting down the platform. As per the company's official website, customers can use their current login information to access Teams, and their contacts and chats will automatically appear in the app, ensuring a smooth transition.

During the transition, users of Teams and the video calling platform will be able to speak with one another on both platforms. Before the shutdown date, users who do not want to move to Teams can export all their data, including contacts, chats, and call logs.

Microsoft will discontinue the video calling platform's premium services. While current users can use their credits and subscriptions until their next renewal, new users cannot purchase credits or subscriptions for calls.