{"id":2431243,"date":"2025-05-06T01:33:02","date_gmt":"2025-05-06T05:33:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/skype-the-video-calling-and-messaging-service-officially-shuts-down-after-22-years-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2025-05-06T01:35:02","modified_gmt":"2025-05-06T05:35:02","slug":"skype-the-video-calling-and-messaging-service-officially-shuts-down-after-22-years-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/skype-the-video-calling-and-messaging-service-officially-shuts-down-after-22-years-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"Skype, the video calling and messaging service, officially shuts down after 22 years &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">32<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fskype-the-video-calling-and-messaging-service-officially-shuts-down-after-22-years-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2431243&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Skype,the well-known video calling and messaging service,officially ceased operations on May 5 after 22 years in service. Once regarded as a groundbreaking technology, Microsoft, which acquired Skype in 2011, announced the shutdown in February 2025 as part of its strategy to focus on Microsoft Teams, a platform that integrates various communication and collaboration functionalities. While Skype&#8217;s peak user count exceeded 300 million, its popularity waned in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/bulletproof-backpack-makers-retailers-slam-new-york-confiscation-legislation\/\" title=\"Bulletproof Backpack Makers,\u00a0Retailers\u00a0Slam New York Confiscation Legislation\">recent years due<\/a> to increasing competition from services like Zoom and Slack. By 2023, Skype&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/dating-app-bumble-shares-close-63-higher-after-ipo-with-founder-becoming-youngest-female-ceo-to-take-a-large-u-s-company-public\/\" title=\"Dating App Bumble Shares Close 63% Higher After IPO, With Founder Becoming \u2018Youngest Female CEO To Take A Large U.S. Company Public\u2019\">user base<\/a> had dwindled to approximately 36 million. Microsoft plans to transition users from Skype to a free version of Teams, which <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >offers enhanced features<\/a> beyond those available on Skype.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Skype, the video calling and messaging service, officially shuts down after 22 years<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2114220\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>Once hailed as a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/technology\/\" title=\"\">technology<\/a> of the future, the video calling and messaging service Skype officially shut down on Monday, May 5, after 22 years in operation.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/microsoft\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Microsoft<\/a>, which has owned Skype for 14 years, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/technology\/3333654\/microsoft-to-shut-down-skype\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">announced in February<\/a> that it planned to end the service.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/crime\/3400938\/new-hampshire-rated-best-state-public-safety-us-news\/\">New Hampshire rated best state for public safety: US News &amp; World Report<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/crime\/3400941\/how-the-dmv-fares-on-public-safety-compared-to-other-states\/\">How the DMV fares on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/virginia-beats-maryland-as-state-public-perceives-it-as-safer\/\" title=\"Virginia beats Maryland as state public perceives it as safer\">public safety compared<\/a> to other states<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/3401954\/tina-smith-hegseth-resign-pentagon-signal-use-allegations\/\">Tina Smith says Hegseth &#8216;should be fired&#8217; over new allegations of Signal use<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>&ldquo;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,&rdquo; said Jeff Teper, Microsoft president of collaborative apps and platforms, <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/microsoft-365\/blog\/2025\/02\/28\/the-next-chapter-moving-from-skype-to-microsoft-teams\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">said<\/a> at the time.<\/p>\n<p>Microsoft decided to shut down Skype to focus its resources on developing its Microsoft Teams app, which includes all the services that Skype provided plus more.&nbsp;As part of the transition, Microsoft announced it would offer a free version of Teams to all consumers who previously utilized Skype.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;With Teams, users have access to many of the same core features they use in Skype, such as one-on-one calls and group calls, messaging, and file sharing,&rdquo; Teper said. &ldquo;Additionally, Teams offers enhanced features like hosting meetings, managing calendars, and building and joining communities for free.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Teper also <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/microsoft-365\/blog\/2025\/02\/28\/the-next-chapter-moving-from-skype-to-microsoft-teams\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">stated<\/a> that Teams has established a presence in the video conferencing market and said the product is currently used by &ldquo;hundreds of millions&rdquo; of people to connect with others at home, school, and work. He also emphasized that &ldquo;the number of minutes spent in meetings by consumer users of Teams&rdquo; has quadrupled in the last two years.<\/p>\n<p>Skype was <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2025\/05\/05\/nx-s1-5387436\/skype-shutting-down\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">created<\/a> in 2003 by Niklas Zennstr&ouml;m and Janus Friis as a service to make calls over the internet. Over the years, it evolved into a free video call service and messaging application. Reports <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/technology\/2025\/05\/05\/skype-shutting-down-microsoft\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">show<\/a> that over 300 million people had used Skype at its peak. However, Skype&rsquo;s clientele dipped over the years as consumers sought to use other products that provided competition in the market, such as WhatsApp and Slack.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>During the COVID pandemic, as video calling services became a staple for communication, consumers opted for services as Zoom and Teams over Skype. By 2020, the number of Skype users dropped to 40 million. This downward trend continued. By 2023, only 36 million people were using Skype, according to <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2025\/05\/05\/nx-s1-5387436\/skype-shutting-down\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">reports<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_2114220\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"2114220\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Skype, the video calling and messaging platform, has officially closed after 22 years<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2677,"featured_media":2431244,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Screenshot-2025-05-06-at-1.10.39%E2%80%AFAM-1024x859.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[54675,5123,54673,54674,32076],"class_list":["post-2431243","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-messaging-service","tag-shutdown","tag-skype","tag-video-calling","tag-washington-examiner"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Screenshot-2025-05-06-at-1.10.39%E2%80%AFAM-1024x859.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2431243","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2677"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2431243"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2431243\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2431247,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2431243\/revisions\/2431247"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2431244"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2431243"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2431243"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2431243"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}