Microsoft has confirmed it will officially shutter Skype in May, with a free version of Microsoft Teams taking its place.
This confirmation arrives as apps like WhatsApp, Zoom, FaceTime, and Messenger dominate the VoIP communication landscape, leaving Skype's traditional call-to-phone service as a relic of the past.
According to The Verge, current Skype users will be able to sign into the Microsoft Teams app and find their existing content—message history, contacts, and more—available without needing a new account. Simultaneously, Microsoft will gradually discontinue support for domestic and international calls.
Skype users also have the option to export their data, including photos and conversation logs. Microsoft has provided a tool to help those who prefer not to switch to Teams view their existing Skype chat history.
The deadline for a decision is 60 days, as Skype will go offline starting May 5. Microsoft will honor any remaining Skype credits, but will no longer offer new customers access to paid features for making or receiving international and domestic calls.
The primary loss with Skype's shutdown is the ability to place calls directly to phone numbers. In a statement to The Verge, Microsoft noted that while this telephony feature was valuable during Skype's peak, its relevance has diminished.
"We examine usage patterns and trends, and this functionality was excellent at a time when VoIP wasn't readily available and mobile data plans were costly," explained Amit Fulay, Vice President of Product at Microsoft. "Looking ahead, this is not the space we intend to focus on."
Microsoft acquired Skype for $8.5 billion in 2011, stating that the deal aimed to "deepen the company's longstanding commitment to real-time video and voice communications, while opening new market opportunities for Skype's more than 160 million active users."
Skype was once a central feature on Windows devices and was even promoted as a selling point for Xbox consoles. However, Microsoft acknowledges that Skype's user base has stagnated in recent years. The consumer strategy is now firmly centered on Microsoft Teams.
