Microsoft is closing the once popular app Skype and will be discontinuing it on May 5th, 2025, as it encourages existing users to use Microsoft Teams or to export their data.
Skype first launched in 2003 and was ultimately purchased by Microsoft in 2011 and was once upon a time a great convenience for making international calls.
It helped people stay in touch with family and friends as well as for business purposes but over the years has lost support to other competitive apps such as Zoom, Google Meet, and Slack.
For many, it will be remembered for its distinctive ringtone and its importance at a time when there were limited ways to keep in touch with loved ones.
The end of Skype is a reminder of how technologies and times change, but the memories of experiences with the platforms remain.
The shutdown will not affect Microsoft Teams, which is designed for online meetings and enterprise communication.