Microsoft pulls the plug on Skype: What's really happening?

Microsoft has officially announced that Skype will be retired in May, marking the end of an era that defined online communication for nearly two decades.

Instead of Skype, users are being directed to Microsoft Teams for their calls and chats.

This change was revealed through a message in the latest Skype for Windows preview, which reads: “Starting in May, Skype will no longer be available.

Continue your calls and chats in Teams.” It also mentions that “some of your friends have already moved to Teams free,” hinting that many of your contacts may have already made the switch.

Skype, launched in 2003, was acquired by Microsoft in 2011. The company has tried to integrate Skype into various platforms over the years, such as Windows 10.

However, the journey was rocky, with Skype’s integration into Windows 10 lasting only about nine months before it was changed again.

Later, Microsoft shifted away from Win32 apps to UWP, but this move was also eventually reversed.

In 2017, Microsoft introduced Teams, a collaboration platform built on Skype’s technology, designed to compete with Slack.

Since then, Teams has been heavily promoted, leading many to expect Skype’s eventual retirement.

Skype struggled to maintain its relevance as competing services like Apple’s FaceTime and various Google communication tools gained popularity.

With Windows 11 launching in 2021 and integrating Teams rather than Skype, it became clear that Microsoft was focusing on Teams as its future communication platform.

Now, with Skype’s final shutdown approaching in May, the transition to Teams is officially underway.

We reached out to Microsoft for comment but have not yet received a statement. If you haven’t seen the message in Skype yet, expect it soon.

Earlier, days after Chinese upstart DeepSeek revealed a breakthrough in cheap AI computing that shook the US technology industry, the chief executives of Microsoft and Meta defended massive spending that they said was key to staying competitive in the new field.

DeepSeek’s quick progress has stirred doubts about the lead America has in AI with models that it claims can match or even outperform Western rivals at a fraction of the cost, but the U.S. executives said on Wednesday that building huge computer networks was necessary to serve growing corporate needs.

“Investing ‘very heavily’ in capital expenditure and infrastructure is going to be a strategic advantage over time,” Meta (META.O), opens new tab CEO Mark Zuckerberg said on a post-earnings call.

Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft (MSFT.O), opens new tab, said the spending was needed to overcome the capacity constraints that have hampered the technology giant’s ability to capitalize on AI.

“As AI becomes more efficient and accessible, we will see exponentially more demand,” he said on a call with analysts.