News Summary

Microsoft has decided to terminate Skype, the pioneering internet telephony company it acquired in 2011 for $8.5 billion. Skype, founded in 2003 by Janus Friis and Niklas Zennström, was the first company to offer free internet-based voice communication to consumers, revolutionizing global communication. Despite its initial success, which saw it reach 100 million registered users by 2006, Skype failed to maintain its momentum under Microsoft’s ownership. As the pandemic increased the demand for remote communication tools, Microsoft chose to focus on Teams rather than Skype. This decision marked the end of an era for Skype, which had introduced many to the concept of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and free global telephony. Although Skype’s influence waned, its legacy lives on in modern communication platforms that continue to offer free audio and video connections worldwide.