Microsoft blew $8.5 billion on Skype only to spend 14 years killing it

Articles

Mac Support London - SupportPlan > Blog > Articles > Microsoft blew $8.5 billion on Skype only to spend 14 years killing it

Skype will be closed down in May 2025, but it really died in 2011 when it was bought by Microsoft. It’s just been a death by a thousand slow-motion cuts.

Screenshoft of an old version of Skype for the Mac

How we used to live. This is Skype on the Mac back in prehistory

You didn’t know Skype was still a thing, and in a few weeks’ time, it won’t be. Once a revolutionary app that brought free voice calls over the internet, it was important enough and valuable enough that in 2006, eBay bought it for $2.6 billion.

If it seems peculiar that eBay would be the one that bought it, give the auction site some credit — it flipped the service and sold Skype on in 2011 for a huge profit. Five years is a long time to have it on “Buy it Now,” but Microsoft eventually snapped it up for $8.5 billion.

Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

Have questions? Need answers?

If you have any IT related issues, we have the solution for you. Whether you need long-term Mac and PC support or an urgent fix, don't hesitate and get in touch.

Over 320 Satisfied Customers

Accreditations

It’s not just our customers that recognise our hard work, we are accredited by Apple, Microsoft, Dell, HP, VMWare, Juniper, Kerio, Archiware P5, as well as many other manufacturers.

Our clients range from corporate giants, to hundreds of smaller businesses, many of whom rely on us to be their virtual IT department. They know we will never compromise on providing the right person for the right IT challenge and that’s why we’re the obvious first port of call when IT support is needed.