The legendary video chat -app Skype is officially closed

In the 2020s it seemed to be a company to lead the world into the future when it comes to video calls.

Apple's Facetime was well received after they have been added to iPhones, but those from the Apple ecosystem may have felt excluded.

Microsoft has the gap for everyone with Skype, a video chat service that is not limited to a platform or operating system. Everyone with a webcam and the means to download the application could use Skype, but things changed when the pandemic forced millions of employees into remote jobs.

Zoom became the platform of choice and replaced Skype as a video chat platform of the choice. This week Microsoft decided to end Skype's life cycle after 22 years, but they leave the video chat -arena without fighting.

Microsoft has integrated many of the best functions of Skype in teams and plans to make it a robust platform for all types of digital cooperation and communication.

“Skype was an essential part of the design of modern communication and the support of countless meaningful moments, and we feel honored to be part of the trip,” said Jeff Tepper, President of Collaborative apps and platforms from Microsoft.

Those who do not want to switch to Microsoft teams can export their data from Skype and take them to the zoom or anywhere where they want, and those who do not take measures will have their data deleted permanently in January 2026.

The tech industry was severely hit due to the economic uncertainty due to the loss of jobs, but Microsoft says that the situation with Skype and teams will not lead to a loss of jobs.

Skype was launched in 2003 and Microsoft acquired it in 2011 for $ 8.5 billion. At the time of the acquisition, the service had an estimated 150 million monthly users. This number resigned to 23 million monthly users after the beginning of the pandemic in 2020.

For comparison, Microsoft teams have around 320 million users per month in 2025, which makes it a much better resource for the company to dedicate resources.

We will see what the future has for Microsoft because it is preparing to enter a new generation of communication and joint efforts with teams, and while Zoom continues to dominate the video messaging landscape, we will find more updates on the way.