Skype's Final Call Set for May as Microsoft Prioritizes Teams

FILE PHOTO: A 3D printed Skype logo is placed in front of a keyboard in this illustration taken April 12, 2020. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: A 3D printed Skype logo is placed in front of a keyboard in this illustration taken April 12, 2020. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo
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Skype's Final Call Set for May as Microsoft Prioritizes Teams

FILE PHOTO: A 3D printed Skype logo is placed in front of a keyboard in this illustration taken April 12, 2020. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: A 3D printed Skype logo is placed in front of a keyboard in this illustration taken April 12, 2020. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo

Skype will ring for the last time on May 5 as owner Microsoft retires the two-decade-old internet calling service that redefined how people connect across borders.
Shutting down Skype will help Microsoft focus on its homegrown Teams service by simplifying its communication offerings, the software giant said on Friday.
Founded in 2003, Skype's cheap audio and video calls quickly disrupted the landline industry in the early 2000s and made the company a household name boasting hundreds of millions of users at its peak. But the platform has struggled to keep up with easier-to-use and more reliable rivals such as Zoom and Salesforce's Slack in recent years.
The decline was partly because Skype's underlying technology was not suited for the smartphone era.
When the pandemic and work-from-home fueled the need for online business calls, Microsoft batted for Teams by aggressively integrating it with other Office apps to tap corporate users — once a major base for Skype.
To ease the transition from the platform, its users will be able to log into Teams for free on any supported device using their existing credentials, with chats and contacts migrating automatically.
With that, Skype will become the latest in a series of high-flying bets that Microsoft has mishandled, such as the Internet Explorer web browser and its Windows Phone. Other big tech firms have also struggled with online communication tools, with Google making several attempts through apps including Hangouts and Duo, Reuters reported.
It was not clear how many users or employees would be impacted by the move. Microsoft did not immediately respond to a request for the figure.
When Microsoft bought Skype in 2011 for $8.5 billion after outbidding Google and Facebook — its largest deal at the time — the service had around 150 million monthly users; by 2020, that number had fallen to roughly 23 million, despite a brief resurgence during the pandemic.
Microsoft said on Friday "Skype has been an integral part of shaping modern communications".
"We are honored to have been part of the journey."



Taiwan May Exports Hit Record on AI Demand and Ahead of US Tariffs

A man rides a motobike on the street with wind turbines in the background, in Changhua, Taiwan May 9, 2025. REUTERS/Ann Wang
A man rides a motobike on the street with wind turbines in the background, in Changhua, Taiwan May 9, 2025. REUTERS/Ann Wang
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Taiwan May Exports Hit Record on AI Demand and Ahead of US Tariffs

A man rides a motobike on the street with wind turbines in the background, in Changhua, Taiwan May 9, 2025. REUTERS/Ann Wang
A man rides a motobike on the street with wind turbines in the background, in Changhua, Taiwan May 9, 2025. REUTERS/Ann Wang

Taiwan's exports surged to a record in May on booming demand for artificial intelligence and as customers placed orders ahead of US tariffs which could take effect next month after a suspension period expires.

Exports increased 38.6% from the same month a year ago - the fastest pace in almost 15 years - to $51.74 billion, a record high and the first time the value of exports has exceeded $50 billion, the finance ministry said on Monday.

The expansion, the 19th consecutive monthly gain, was higher than the 25% expected by economists in a Reuters poll and surpassed April's 29.9% rise.

Taiwan companies such as TSMC , the world's largest contract chipmaker, are major suppliers to Apple , Nvidia and other tech giants.

May exports benefited from continued strong AI demand and customers bringing forward orders to hedge against the possibility of increased U.S. tariffs, the ministry said in a statement.

US President Donald Trump planned a 32% import levy on goods from Taiwan under his global tariff regime, until he announced a 90-day pause in April to allow for trade negotiations.

While AI and other new technologies should continue to support Taiwan's exports, the uncertainty surrounding the US tariffs and geopolitical risks could undermine the global economic outlook, the ministry said.

For June, the ministry expects exports to rise between 15% and 25% year-on-year.

In May, Taiwan's exports to the United States soared 87.4% year-on-year to $15.52 billion, a record in terms of growth and value, versus a 29.5% surge in the prior month.

Exports to China, Taiwan's biggest trading partner, climbed 16.6%, after rising 22.3% in April.

Taiwan's total exports of electronic components gained 28.4% in May on the year to $17.2 billion, with semiconductor exports up 30.1%.

Imports rose 25% to $39.13 billion, lower than economists' forecasts of 30.2%.