Microsoft may be preparing to shut down Skype in the coming months. A hidden line in the latest preview version of the app states: “Starting in May, Skype will no longer be available. Continue calling and chatting in Teams,” according to XDA Developers. No official confirmation has been given yet, but this suggests that Skype’s days may be numbered.
Skype was launched in 2003 and became a popular platform for VoIP calls and messaging. In 2011, Microsoft acquired it for $8.5 billion, integrating it into various products, including Windows, Windows Phone, and Xbox. Over the years, Skype has been redesigned multiple times, even being incorporated into Windows 10 Mobile’s Phone and Messages apps to compete with Apple’s iMessage.
Skype’s Decline and Microsoft’s Shift to Teams
Despite these efforts, Microsoft has gradually moved away from Skype. During the pandemic, it failed to regain relevance, and many users switched to modern alternatives like Telegram, WhatsApp, iMessage, and Discord. Microsoft instead focused on developing Teams, a corporate messaging platform that shares some of Skype’s foundations but serves a different audience. Now, it seems the company is encouraging remaining Skype users to migrate to Teams, as Skype is mostly used by individuals rather than businesses.
In its current form, Skype struggles to compete, notes NIXSolutions. The Windows app is a slow web-based platform with poor synchronization across devices, and it lacks support for Arm processors, which Microsoft has been promoting. While Microsoft introduced features like Skype Clips for short video messages, AI-powered Copilot integration, self-messaging, and an updated mobile interface, these updates did little to revive the platform.
The Future of Skype
The last major update to Skype was in May 2024, and in December, Microsoft discontinued Skype Number, a service that allowed users to buy real phone numbers for calling outside the platform. So far, Microsoft has not officially commented on the potential shutdown, but signs point to its eventual discontinuation. Yet, we’ll keep you updated as more details emerge.