Skype Service Shutdown: Microsoft Terminates Platform After 22 Years

Skype, once the leading global internet calling platform used by hundreds of millions, has officially shut down after 22 years. Microsoft discontinued all operations for Skype on May 5, ending the internet-based calling and messaging service.

Social media users marked the closure with farewell messages, sharing memories of late-night calls with distant family or long-distance relationships made possible by Skype. Many described the platform as a groundbreaking service that replaced complicated and expensive international calls with free, easy connections over the internet.

The Washington Post noted that the Millennial generation, who first used Skype as they entered adulthood, expressed a deep sense of nostalgia. One user posted on Reddit, “I found love, had my first job interview, and so much more through Skype.”

On X (formerly Twitter), another user wrote, “We shared many memories through late-night calls and laughter. Skype connected us across distances and time zones. Goodbye, old friend.” Others recalled both frustrations and gratitude, with one message saying, “Goodbye Skype. You froze, crashed, and dropped calls, but you helped us when we needed it.”

Skype was developed in 2003 by Estonian developers Janus Friis and Niklas Zennström, introducing VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) technology that bypassed traditional telecom networks. The service quickly gained global popularity for enabling direct internet calls.

eBay acquired Skype in 2005 for $2.6 billion before selling it to Microsoft in 2011 for $8.5 billion. At its peak, Skype boasted over 300 million users.

However, Skype’s influence waned with the rise of smartphones and mobile messaging apps. Its decline accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic, as video conferencing platforms like Zoom overtook it in popularity.

Skype’s shutdown marks the end of a major chapter in internet communication history, remembered by many for its role in shrinking global distances.

BY YOONJAE JUNG [jung.yoonjae@koreadaily.com]