RIP Skype — you were right about almost everything

How did your country report this? Share your view in the comments.

Introduction:

The news topic “RIP Skype — you were right about almost everything” has drawn international attention, with various media outlets providing diverse insights, historical context, political stances, and on-the-ground developments. Below is a curated overview of how different countries and media organizations have covered this topic recently.

Quick Summary:

• On Monday, Microsoft shut Skype down for good, a few days short of 14 years after buying the service for $8.5 billion. Microsoft has shifted all its investment to Teams, a corporate-focused app that the company swears will someday catch on with regular people. The technology that made Skype special two decades ago is now utterly commoditized, and maybe the world just no longer needed the company that made it all possible. With Skype, you could call other Skype users, obviously. But you could also call anyone with a phone number. You often had to pay for it, but still: that idea alone remains the most ambitious thing anyone’s ever done in internet chat.. No company before or since has had an idea about communication as fundamentally correct as Skype: that what the internet needed was an all-in-one communication system. with Skype.
• Microsoft officially pulled the plug on this iconic platform on May 5, 2025. Skype’s journey began in 2003 when it introduced a groundbreaking way to connect people worldwide. As technology evolved, so did user preferences, leaving Skype behind in a competitive landscape filled with advanced alternatives. The decline of Skype raises critical questions about the sustainability of standalone messaging apps. Will users continue to juggle multiple platforms, or will a new solution emerge to unify communication? As we look ahead, the tech community must prioritize creating a new communication layer that transcends current platforms. Will the next big thing in communication be Skype or something else? Share your thoughts on the future of communication with CNN iReport. Back to the page you came from.
• In 2003, Skype became the first platform to offer free computer-to-computer calls. In 2011, it was bought by eBay for $2.6 billion. Today, Skype has been replaced by Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp and Google Hangouts. It’s been years since you’ve made a call over Skype, but it’s still a big part of our lives. It was once the way we communicated with friends and family. Now, it’s just another way to make a call, and it’s becoming more and more popular. It will soon be replaced by Google Hangout, Facebook Messenger and Apple’s Hangouts, for example, as well as other services such as Skype’s own app, Skype for Business and Skype for Work. It’ll be a sad day when Skype is replaced by voice-only calls on the iPhone, iPad, Android and other devices.

Country-by-Country Breakdown:

Original Coverage

On Monday, Microsoft shut Skype down for good, a few days short of 14 years after buying the service for $8.5 billion. Microsoft has shifted all its investment to Teams, a corporate-focused app that the company swears will someday catch on with regular people. The technology that made Skype special two decades ago is now utterly commoditized, and maybe the world just no longer needed the company that made it all possible. With Skype, you could call other Skype users, obviously. But you could also call anyone with a phone number. You often had to pay for it, but still: that idea alone remains the most ambitious thing anyone’s ever done in internet chat.. No company before or since has had an idea about communication as fundamentally correct as Skype: that what the internet needed was an all-in-one communication system. with Skype. Read full article

RIP Skype — The Platform That Predicted Our Digital Future and Revolutionized Communication

Microsoft officially pulled the plug on this iconic platform on May 5, 2025. Skype’s journey began in 2003 when it introduced a groundbreaking way to connect people worldwide. As technology evolved, so did user preferences, leaving Skype behind in a competitive landscape filled with advanced alternatives. The decline of Skype raises critical questions about the sustainability of standalone messaging apps. Will users continue to juggle multiple platforms, or will a new solution emerge to unify communication? As we look ahead, the tech community must prioritize creating a new communication layer that transcends current platforms. Will the next big thing in communication be Skype or something else? Share your thoughts on the future of communication with CNN iReport. Back to the page you came from. Read full article

Skype Died Today. the Video Meeting Future It Created Lives on.

In 2003, Skype became the first platform to offer free computer-to-computer calls. In 2011, it was bought by eBay for $2.6 billion. Today, Skype has been replaced by Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp and Google Hangouts. It’s been years since you’ve made a call over Skype, but it’s still a big part of our lives. It was once the way we communicated with friends and family. Now, it’s just another way to make a call, and it’s becoming more and more popular. It will soon be replaced by Google Hangout, Facebook Messenger and Apple’s Hangouts, for example, as well as other services such as Skype’s own app, Skype for Business and Skype for Work. It’ll be a sad day when Skype is replaced by voice-only calls on the iPhone, iPad, Android and other devices. Read full article

The Verge looks back on Skype

Microsoft announced that it was shutting Skype down on May 5th. The app allowed you to not only speak with other Skype users, but to make phone calls (and eventually video calls) over the internet. For its time, it was a real innovation and a major convenience. But although Skype is now gone, the memories it evokes — not to mention the sound of its weird and wonderful ringtone — will stay with many of us for years to come.Here are some thoughts from The Verge’s staff on Skype’“Skype was my lifeline back home.” “It was cheaper than calling my family with expensive international minutes.’ ““”“I was petrified. I left the country on my own to live in Japan for seven years. I was excited about an adventure in a place where I knew no one and wasn’t fluent in the local language” Read full article

Microsoft is shutting down Skype in favor of Teams

Microsoft is shutting down Skype in May and replacing it with the free version of Microsoft Teams for consumers. Existing Skype users will be able to log in to the Microsoft Teams app and have their message history, group chats, and contacts all automatically available. Microsoft is also phasing out support for calling domestic or international numbers.Skype will remain online until May 5th, so existing users will have around 60 days to decide whether they want to switch to Microsoft Teams or export their data. The transition to Microsoft teams will keep Skype group chats intact, and during the 60-day window, Microsoft will also maintain interoperability so you can message contacts on Teams and those messages will be delivered to friends still using Skype. If you choose to move on and bring your Skype data with you, the exported data will include photos and conversation history. Microsoft also made a tool to easily view existing Skype chat history if you don’t want to move to Teams. Read full article

Global Perspectives Summary:

Global media portray this story through varied cultural, economic, and political filters. While some focus on geopolitical ramifications, others highlight local impacts and human stories. Some nations frame the story around diplomatic tensions and international relations, while others examine domestic implications, public sentiment, or humanitarian concerns. This diversity of coverage reflects how national perspectives, media freedom, and journalistic priorities influence what the public learns about global events.

How did your country report this? Share your view in the comments.

Sources:

• Original Article
• RIP Skype — The Platform That Predicted Our Digital Future and Revolutionized Communication
• Skype Died Today. the Video Meeting Future It Created Lives on.
• The Verge looks back on Skype
• Microsoft is shutting down Skype in favor of Teams

Source: https://www.theverge.com/microsoft/660985/skype-shuts-down-rip