For many years, Skype remained one of the first and once-dominant internet calling services that ushered in a new era of communication. Today, after many ups and downs, we know that this platform will soon become unavailable. However, this does not close the door to virtual communication — there are several alternative services on the market, along with artificial intelligence (AI) breathing down their necks.

After Several Decades of Existence, Skype is Leaving

The virtual communication service, which dominated from the mid-2000s, will no longer be available as of May this year. According to Microsoft, the company will shift its focus to other communication platforms and enhancing their capabilities.

This was confirmed by Jeff Teper, Microsoft 365 President of Collaborative Apps and Platforms:

“In order to streamline our free consumer communications offerings so we can more easily adapt to customer needs, we will be retiring Skype in May 2025 to focus on Microsoft Teams (free), our modern communications and collaboration hub.”

Users of this platform can transfer their contacts and chat data to Microsoft Teams or download stored information and switch to another preferred video calling service.

Skype was launched in 2003 in Estonia and quickly became popular, especially for international calls, which were a costly alternative at the time. In 2005, eBay acquired the video call platform for $2.6 billion, but after an unsuccessful partnership, 65% of the shares were sold. In 2011, Microsoft acquired a remote communication platform.

The Era of Virtual Calls Will Continue Even After Skype Shuts Down

Even though this platform is ending its services, as Microsoft itself notes, this is not the end of this type of communication. There are other video calling program alternatives on the market. One such option is the already-mentioned Microsoft Teams platform, which gained major popularity in work processes during the COVID-19 pandemic, as companies sought ways to continue operations remotely.

In addition to this platform, others competing in the market include Zoom and Google Meet. In recent years, Apple FaceTime and Meta WhatsApp have also grown more competitive, contributing to Skype’s decline.

These alternatives offer similar features and capabilities to the platform being shut down, such as personal and group calls, message sending, file sharing, emoji reactions, comments in the chat window, conversation recording, and more.

AI is Another Alternative

AI offers even newer and more advanced opportunities in the virtual communication industry. Chatbots, real-time analysis, and other features promise a compelling future.

AI tools can offer expanded functions, especially in business environments — AI-powered analytics, CRM integrations, automated call handling, AI transcription, and strict data security protocols are all part of the new technological era’s advantages.

Chatbots are now useful in customer service, can personalize the user experience, and, when needed, direct users efficiently to the right destination.

Final Thoughts

As one door closes, new opportunities in the virtual communication market open up. In the coming years, we will see Microsoft shift more focus and investment toward the Teams platform after closing the Skype chapter, which means other video communication channels will inevitably have to evolve too. Moreover, the significance of AI is rapidly growing, so we can expect meaningful changes here as well — to the user’s benefit.

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Sources: CNN, Frejun, Microsoft 365, TechCrunch