By Dan Sodergren www.dansodergren.com | @dansodergren
“After two decades and $8.5 billion later, Skype is logging off for good — as Microsoft fully shifts gears to Teams.”
That’s what I told the BBC Breakfast team this week when they invited me on to talk about Skype’s official shutdown, set for May 5th, 2025. It’s one of those moments that feels oddly personal to many of us.
Skype was the tool that introduced millions to video calling — long before remote work, long before pandemics, long before Zoom fatigue was even a thing.
Now, it’s being retired. Quietly. Efficiently. Strategically.
But this isn’t just about nostalgia or a piece of software going offline.
This is about how tech companies evolve, how our working lives have shifted, and how communication itself is being redefined in the modern world.
📞 From Household Verb to Digital Afterthought
Skype was once a household name. Like Google, “Skype” became a verb. You didn’t video call someone — you “Skyped” them. Back in 2011, Microsoft saw the potential and paid $8.5 billion to bring it into the fold. It was their biggest acquisition at the time.
But even then, cracks were forming. Skype never really nailed the mobile-first experience. The platform suffered bugs, delays, poor UX, and failed to evolve at the speed users expected. It got caught between consumer use and business needs — and ended up satisfying neither completely.
Meanwhile, Teams arrived in 2016, and by 2025 has amassed over 320 million monthly users. Microsoft made a clear decision: put resources into the future, not the past.
🔄 Teams: The New Default
On the BBC, I talked about how Teams isn’t just a Skype replacement — it’s a complete workplace ecosystem. You’ve got meetings, messaging, calendars, community creation, all under one login. And for those wondering — yes, Skype contacts and chat history will transfer if you log into Teams with your existing credentials.
It’s not just about business. Even casual users now expect integrated, cloud-first experiences — and Skype was built in an era before any of that existed. We can’t hang on to legacy systems when the needs of users have fundamentally changed.
🧠 What This Tells Us About the Future of Wo
rk
Skype’s rise and fall tells a bigger story. The tools we use aren’t just passive utilities — they shape how we work, where we work from, and who we work with.
It’s no longer about voice or video alone. It’s about ecosystems, integrations, asynchronous tools, real-time collaboration, and — increasingly — AI-powered productivity. If you’re not building with that in mind, you’re already behind.
In my talks and courses at www.aimarketingcourse.co.uk, I often say:
“The way we work is changing faster than the tools we use to manage that change.”
The companies that understand this — the Microsofts, the Zooms, the Slacks — are building platforms, not just apps. They’re playing the long game.
💬 Final Thoughts (And A Bit of Sentimentality)
For many of us, Skype was the bridge between a pre-internet world and the digital-first future we now live in. It brought families closer, helped remote workers before “remote” was normal, and taught us that you didn’t need a landline to talk across continents.
But in tech, even the trailblazers don’t stay on top forever.
I’ll be unpacking this more in my upcoming podcast episodes and talks this summer. And if you’re interested in how communication platforms are evolving in this AI-driven age — check out my latest writing and courses, or grab my book…
Available at https://futureofwork.gumroad.com/,
You can also follow me for insights on @dansodergren and reach out via www.greatmarketingworks.co.uk if you’re a business trying to make sense of these shifts.
Goodbye Skype. Thanks for the call.
Next up?
Smarter, faster, more integrated communication tools that match the way we actually work today. All with a LOT of AI inside… Let’s see how Microsoft makes it all happen…
About The Author:
Keynote speaker, professional speaker, Ted X talker, serial tech startup founder, ex marketing agency owner, digital trainer, and now author and media spokesperson Dan Sodergren’s main area of interest is the future of work, technology, data and AI In his spare time, as well as being a dad, which comes first, Dan is a digital marketing and technology (and now AI) expert for TV shows and the BBC and countless radio shows.
Occasionally donning the cape of consumer champion on shows like BBC WatchDog, the One Show and RipOffBritain and being a marketing tech specialist for SuperShoppers and RealFakeAndUnknown and BBC Breakfast.
He is also a host and guest on podcasts and webinars speaking as a tech futurist. And a remote reporter / content creator for tech companies at tech events and shows.
His main interest is in the future. Be that the future of marketing, or the future or work or how AI and technology will change the world for the better as part of the #FifthIndustrialRevolution.
Find out more about him here bit.ly/DanSodergren
📚 Sources for Further Verification (May 2025)
- The Verge — “Microsoft to shut down Skype in May 2025”
- https://www.theverge.com
- TechCrunch — “Skype is officially going offline — Here’s what to know”
- https://techcrunch.com
- Microsoft Official Blog — “Preparing for Skype’s retirement”
- https://blogs.microsoft.com
- BBC Technology — “Skype calls time as Teams takes over”
- https://bbc.com/news/technology
- CNBC — “Why Microsoft pulled the plug on Skype after $8.5 billion bet”
- https://www.cnbc.com
- Dan Sodergren on the BBC Breakfast
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUahIGhNOe0
- Dan on BBC Radio
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmxJMIzkfYo