BBC :
[
Skype has announced it is closing from May.
The internet chat and phone service,
which is owned by Microsoft,
made the announcement on X,
external.
It said: "Starting in May 2025, Skype
will no longer be available.
"Over the coming days you can sign in to
Microsoft Teams Free with your Skype account
to stay connected with all your chats
and contacts.
"Thank you for being part of Skype."
Microsoft made no immediate comment
when contacted by BBC News.
Skype was released in 2003 and was then bought
by Microsoft in 2011 for $8.5bn (£6.1bn).
The video calling service was once one of the
most popular websites in the world,
as businesses and individuals embraced video calls.
As Microsoft once outlined, external,
Skype became integrated with the company's
other products such as Xbox and Windows devices.
In December, 2010, tech industry commentator
Om Malik called it one of the "key applications
of the modern web", when the website suffered
a two-day global outage.
So what happened?
In June, 2021, speculation persisted
that it was the beginning of the end for Skype.
When Microsoft announced Windows 11,
its new operating system, it stated that
Microsoft Teams - which saw a boost in popularity
during the Covid pandemic as people moved
their work and personal meetings
online – would be integrated by default.
Skype, for the first time in years, was not.]
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cn7vxlrvxyeo