Microsoft закриє Skype
The inevitable is becoming a reality: Microsoft is preparing to end support for Skype. Although there hasn’t been an official announcement on the matter yet, a hidden message confirming the end date of the service has appeared in the latest Windows preview update.
This hidden message states:
«Starting in May, Skype will no longer be available. Continue your calls and chats in Teams».
An additional line tells you that «some of your friends have already switched to free Teams», presumably based on the user’s Skype contact list.
Although there are no official notifications for Skype users yet, they may be coming soon. Skype was launched in 2003 and quickly became a popular Internet telephony service, offering advanced communication capabilities at the time In 2011, the service was acquired by Microsoft for $8.5 billion. However, despite high expectations, the messenger failed to become the company’s key product. Skype’s integration with Windows 10, Windows Phone, and even Xbox did not have the desired effect.
Over the years, Microsoft has released many updates for Skype, but it has failed to become the main platform for video communication even during the pandemic, when Zoom gained a dominant position. Although Teams is partially based on Skype, the two platforms have remained distinct in their user experience.
Microsoft tried to breathe new life into Skype by adding new features, such as Skype Clips, which allowed you to record video messages and send them without having to make a call. In 2024, the company integrated into the Copilot service and removed ads on all platforms.
However, even these changes did not help Skype regain its popularity. Seeing a decline in demand, Microsoft stopped supporting Skype Credits, a feature that allowed you to make international calls for money. Instead, the company offered a subscription model for free Skype calls.
Now it’s time to say goodbye to Skype. Microsoft has not yet officially confirmed this information, but it is clear that the service’s days are numbered.
Source: neowin