Microsoft made the surprising announcement that Skype will no longer exist after May 5, but users can migrate their data to a free version of Teams.
Microsoft just yelled “last call” to users of Skype. On May 5, users of the video conferencing app will no longer be able to jump into a call using the service. Microsoft is shuttering the app in favour of a free version of Microsoft Teams. Microsoft purchased Skype for $8.5 billion way back in 2011, and the official closure announcement was made on the app’s official X (formerly Twitter) account and can be seen below.
Skype hit the ground running when it launched way back in 2003. The app gained immense popularity by being an easier way to communicate without having to dish out funds to telephone companies. The rise of the smartphone shortly afterwards put a pin in the app, allowing other smartphone-friendly apps like Zoom (and ironically Microsoft Teams) to explode onto the market in 2013.
In an interview with CNBC, the President of Microsoft 365 collaborative apps and platforms, Jeff Teper said “We’ve learned a lot from Skype over the years that we’ve put into Teams as we’ve evolved teams over the last seven to eight years,” continuing with “But we felt like now is the time because we can be simpler for the market, for our customer base, and we can deliver more innovation faster just by being focused on Teams.” Teper expresses gratitude towards the app, suggesting Microsoft innovations and improvements have been made from it.
Teper explains users can migrate their data from their previous Skype accounts and move to a free version of Microsoft Teams. If users bring their data over it will include photos and conversation history. Microsoft also made a tool to easily view existing Skype chat history, in case growing pains are present when shifting over to Teams. What’s interesting is the previously lucrative telephone function which would allow users to call internationally or domestically from the app, a feature which made the app popular in 2003.
Users have over two months to decide on whether they’re switching to Teams or not. Microsoft has streamlined the process to switch over, with backend transfers instantaneously restoring user contacts, message history, and call logs.
Skype will close down on May 5, and fans should head to the official Microsoft guide for details on how to move data over to Teams if interested.
