Feb. 28 (UPI) — Microsoft announced on Friday that it will be retiring Skype in May and putting all of its video conferencing resources into Microsoft Teams.
Jeff Teper, president of collaborative apps and platforms with Microsoft, said in a message that time has passed Skype by and what many customers are looking for now in a communications hub can be found in Microsoft Teams.
“With Teams, users have access to many of the same core features they use in Skype, such as one-on-one calls and group calls, messaging, and file sharing,” Teper said. “Additionally, Teams offers enhanced features like hosting meetings, managing calendars, and building and joining communities for free.”
Skype once dominated the video messaging space after it was founded in 2003, and purchased by eBay in 2005. Microsoft purchased the company in 2011 to replace Windows Live Messenger.
“Hundreds of millions of people already use Teams as their hub for teamwork, helping them stay connected and engaged at work, school, and at home,” Teper said. “In the past two years, the number of minutes spent in meetings by consumer users of Teams has grown four times, reflecting the value Teams bring to everyday communication and collaboration.”
Microsoft said Skype users will be moved to Microsoft Teams for free and Skype data will be exported. Skype will remain live until May 5.
Teams users will be able to call and chat with Skype users to ensure the connections between the two groups during the transition.
“Moving forward, we will no longer offer paid Skype features to new customers, including Skype Credit and subscriptions that allow you to make and receive international and domestic calls,” Teper said. “Current Skype subscription users can continue to use their Skype Credits and subscriptions until the end of the next renewal period.”