It’s the end of an era in video chat as Microsoft announced Friday it will be “retiring” its Skype platform in May in favour of focusing on Teams.
The platform, which has been in service since 2003, is best known for its video chats, videoconference abilities and voice calls, in addition to instant messaging, file transfer and debit-based calls to both landline and mobile telephones.
But Microsoft says it’s trying to streamline its free consumer communications offerings “so we can more easily adapt to customer needs.”
Skype will stay available until May 5.
Now, the focus is on Microsoft Teams, the application used by many companies for group calls, meetings, file sharing and workspace chat — several functions the company highlights that Skype offered as well.
“Hundreds of millions of people already use Teams as their hub for teamwork, helping them stay connected and engaged at work, school, and at home,” Jeff Teper, Microsoft’s president of collaborative apps and platforms, said in a post.
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Microsoft bought Skype in 2011 and used it to replace its Windows Live Messenger. According to a company blog post in February 2023, there were more than 36 million people using the application per day.
The company then developed its Microsoft 365 product line and released the Teams application in 2017. Desk365.io reported in August 2024 that Teams reached 320 million monthly active users early that year.
With just a few months left until Skype is phased out, the company says Skype users will be able to use their logins to sign into the free version of Teams on any supported device.
This will start being available Friday for those who are part of both the Teams and Skype Insider programs, but will slowly phase in more members.
Teper says if you log in using your Skype account, chats and contacts from your account will automatically appear in Teams “so you can quickly pick up where you left off.”
Teams users will also be able to call and chat with Skype users and vice-versa.
Those who don’t want to move to Teams will also be able to export Skype data, which includes chats, contacts and call history.
Microsoft also advised in its post that Skype paid features will no longer be available for new customers, including Skype Credit and subscriptions used to make and receive international and domestic calls.
People who still have a Skype subscription can still use their credits until their next renewal period.
Even with the May 5 deadline for use, Teper added that paid users will still be able to use the Skype Dial Pad from both the Skype web portal and within Teams after that date.
“Skype has been an integral part of shaping modern communications and supporting countless meaningful moments, and we are honored to have been part of the journey,” Teper said.
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