Microsoft has announced the upcoming retirement of Skype, the video calling platform that once revolutionized global communication. The service is scheduled to be discontinued in May 2025, shifting the company’s focus to Microsoft Teams.
In a statement released February 28, 2025, Jeff Teper, Microsoft’s President of Collaborative Apps and Platforms, explained the decision. “In order to streamline our free consumer communications offerings so we can more easily adapt to customer needs, we will be retiring Skype in May 2025 to focus on Microsoft Teams (free), our modern communications and collaboration hub.”
Microsoft confirmed that Microsoft Teams contains the majority of the core features previously available in Skype. Teper concluded the announcement with a nostalgic acknowledgement of the platform’s legacy: “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.”
Many users expressed surprise and mixed reactions on social media following the announcement. One user wrote on X (formerly Twitter), “Wait…skype was still a thing? Thought it retired long ago.” Another shared fond memories, stating, “Gutting tbh, have lots of memories on Skype, was what I used to call my mates on before I had a phone.”
Skype, which had been acquired by Microsoft in 2011 for $8.5 billion after its launch in 2003, disrupted the landline industry. Though widely used early on, it eventually lost popularity. As a former user observed, “Honestly I’m more surprised they were still around… Everyone seems to use zoom and teams now.” While acknowledging the platform’s decline, nostalgic users also recall older times, such as the distinctive connection noise that heralded initial video chats. One remarked, “Man that dialing noise when you were about to video chat someone for the first time was such a nerve-racking experience back in the day lmao. So many memories.”
The news prompted one fan to offer the sentiment, “Don’t be sad because it’s over, smile because it happened.”
