Sometimes epics end with a whimper not a bang. This is the case for Skype, whose demise Microsoft has announced – for those paying only the closest attention – in a preview of the latest Skype for Windows update. ‘Starting in May, Skype will no longer be available. Skype, launched in 2003, defined an era of new internet possibilities, with the explosion of social media a couple years later through Facebook, and the slow migration of internet usage from desktop screens to phones. Skype days were happier days, despite much worse internet connectionsThe symbols and sounds of Skype became iconic: the word ‘Skype’ itself became the standard word to signify all video calls, even on a different platform.

Source: The Times March 16, 2025 22:15 UTC