The Decline of Skype: A Two-Decade Legacy Ends
The era of Skype, which began two decades ago, is coming to an end on May 5, when Microsoft will shut down the once-popular platform. This move is part of Microsoft’s broader strategy to encourage users to transition to their more successful product, “Teams.”
Skype was once a dominant force in the world of video calls but soon faced stiff competition from newer platforms. Over time, it was forced to surrender its market share to these rising rivals, leading to significant losses. The arrival of Zoom and the COVID-19 pandemic sealed Skype’s fate, marking the final chapter in its decline.
The downfall of Skype has sparked discussions among Reddit and Quora users, with many speculating on what led to its fall from grace.
What Users Had to Say on Quora and Reddit
On Quora, users debated the reasons behind Skype’s decline, with some arguing that it never truly became obsolete. Others attributed its downfall to fierce competition, particularly from Zoom.
One user shared, “Skype never became obsolete in my opinion. The principles and features were great. It was a very innovative app, created by Estonians. It had screen sharing with audio, whiteboards, in-app apps, and many experimental features. Sadly, the creators sold out to investors, which ruined some of its features, but it mostly worked well.”
Another user pointed out, “Skype for Business was rebranded as ‘Microsoft Teams,’ which is now one of the leading business software tools. Microsoft continues to update Skype, but its main focus is on Teams.”
Zoom’s rise to prominence during the pandemic was another factor users blamed for Skype’s decline. One user noted, “During the COVID-19 pandemic, Microsoft was transitioning to Teams, which wasn’t very good initially, giving Zoom a huge advantage. At the same time, services like Apple’s Facetime and WhatsApp took over the casual consumer market.”
A Redditor blamed Microsoft’s poor management for Skype’s downfall, stating, “It was sheer disinterest and bad management at Microsoft. Skype had been neglected for years in favor of Teams and other business tools. When the pandemic hit, Skype was easily surpassed by Zoom because Zoom was up-to-date, simple, and better suited for casual connections.”
However, many Reddit users confidently referred to Skype as “old” and not built for the new video conferencing era dominated by Zoom. One Reddit user said, “Skype was a verb. Old people used Skype. It was free to use, and you’d think it would have been perfect when everyone suddenly needed video calls. But now we have Zoom, which I had never heard of before the pandemic.”
Others echoed similar sentiments, with one saying, “Microsoft mostly killed Skype in favor of Teams. Consumer Skype still existed, but the business version was discontinued. Teams weren’t feature-complete, and meetings with people outside your organization were either difficult or impossible.”
A user also criticized Skype for its poor functionality, “Skype was slow, unreliable, and had limited participants. Teams is like a dream come true compared to Skype.”
Ultimately, the rise of Zoom, Microsoft’s shift in focus, and the declining interest in Skype contributed to the platform’s demise, leaving the once-celebrated video-calling service in the dust.