# Farewell to Skype: Its Story and New Options

kafio (72)in #steemhuboff • 14 days ago (edited)

On May 5, 2025, Microsoft said Skype will stop. Skype was around for 22 years. It started in 2003. Skype changed how we talk online. It gave free voice and video calls on internet. Now Microsoft wants people to use Teams instead.

The Rise of Skype

Skype started in Estonia in 2003. The people who made Kazaa made it. Many people liked it because calls were free between computers. Later it added video calls and came to phones. At its best time, Skype had 300 million users each month. It was used for 8% of all international calls.

Microsoft bought Skype in 2011. They paid $8.5 billion. They wanted to add Skype to Office and Windows Phone.

The Coronavirus Impact

The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 was a big test for Skype. When people needed to work from home and talk online, Skype could have grown a lot. But it had problems:

Skype was slow to add new features people needed
The app was not easy to use for big groups
Other apps like Zoom were faster to add what people wanted
Many schools and companies chose other apps instead

Even with more people at home, Skype did not grow as much as its competitors during the pandemic. This was a missed chance for Skype.

Why Skype Is Shutting Down

Skype is closing for these reasons:

Old Technology: Skype's design worked well for computers but not good for phones. It had problems with performance.
Hard to Use: Skype changed its look many times. This made users unhappy. The app was not easy to use.
Better Competitors: Apps like Zoom, WhatsApp, FaceTime, and Google Meet were easier to use. People moved to these apps.
Microsoft's New Plan: Microsoft made Teams in 2016. Teams has more tools for work. Microsoft wants to focus on Teams now.

Moving to Microsoft Teams

Microsoft says Skype users should move to Teams. Teams has chat, video calls, and file sharing. You can use your Skype login for Teams. Your contacts and old chats can move too. But some Skype features like phone calling are not in Teams.

Users have until January 2026 to save their data. After that, it will be gone forever.

Other Options After Skype

If you don't want Teams, you can try these apps:

1. Microsoft Teams

Good For: Businesses that use Microsoft 365
Features: Works with Office apps, has video meetings, chat, and file sharing
Note: Free version has basic features

2. Zoom

Good For: Good quality video calls for personal and work use
Features: Clear video and sound, rooms for small groups, screen sharing

3. Google Meet

Good For: People who use Google already
Features: Works with Google Calendar and Gmail, free version allows up to 100 people

4. WhatsApp

Good For: Fast and simple talking
Features: Safe messages, voice and video calls, used by many people

5. Signal

Good For: People who care about privacy
Features: Very safe, open-source, has text, voice, and video

6. Jitsi Meet

Good For: People who like open-source software
Features: No account needed, has video calls, screen sharing, completely free

Skype is ending after many years. It was one of the first apps to do what it did. But things change and new apps came. Now we have many choices for staying connected with friends, family, and work.

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