Skype facts for kids
.svg){kind=logo}
Skype’s final icon logo used from 2019 to 2025
|
|||||||||||||
Screenshot of Skype version 8 for Windows desktop
|
|||||||||||||
| Original author(s) | Priit Kasesalu and Jaan Tallinn | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Developer(s) |
|
||||||||||||
| Initial release | 29 August 2003 | ||||||||||||
| Stable release(s) [±] | |||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||
| Operating system | Windows, Windows Server, Windows Phone, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, iPadOS, WatchOS, Wear OS, HoloLens, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S | ||||||||||||
| Predecessor | MSN Messenger | ||||||||||||
| Successor | Microsoft Teams | ||||||||||||
| Available in | 108 languages | ||||||||||||
| Type | Videoconferencing, VoIP and Instant messaging | ||||||||||||
| License | Proprietary software | ||||||||||||
Skype was a special computer program that let people talk to each other using the internet. It was created by a company called Skype Technologies, which later became part of Microsoft. Skype was most famous for its video calls, where you could see the person you were talking to, and for voice calls over the internet.
It also allowed users to send instant messages, share files, and even make calls to regular phones (like landlines and mobile phones) for a small fee. Skype worked on many different devices, including computers, phones, and even some video game consoles.
Skype was first launched in August 2003 by Niklas Zennström, Janus Friis, and four developers from Estonia. In 2005, a company called eBay bought Skype. Later, in 2011, Microsoft purchased Skype for a very large amount of money. Microsoft then used Skype to replace its own messaging program, Windows Live Messenger.
Skype started as a "peer-to-peer" system, meaning computers connected directly to each other. Over time, it changed to use Microsoft's central servers, becoming a more traditional online service. In February 2023, about 36 million people used Skype every day. The service officially stopped working on May 5, 2025, and Microsoft now suggests using Microsoft Teams instead.
Contents
What's in a Name?
The name "Skype" came from two words: "sky" and "peer-to-peer". "Peer-to-peer" described how the software first connected users directly. The original idea for the name was "Skyper," but those internet addresses were already taken. So, by dropping the "r" at the end, they got "Skype," and that name was available!
Skype's Journey
Skype was started in 2003 by Niklas Zennström from Sweden and Janus Friis from Denmark. The actual software was built by Estonian developers Ahti Heinla, Priit Kasesalu, Jaan Tallinn, and Toivo Annus. They had the idea to make phone calls cheaper by using a special internet connection method. The first public test version came out on August 29, 2003.
In September 2005, eBay bought Skype. Later, in September 2009, eBay sold most of Skype to a group of investment companies. Skype also teamed up with Comcast in 2011 to bring video chat to HDTVs.
In June 2013, Skype launched a free video messaging service for many devices, including Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android. Between 2017 and 2020, Skype even worked with PayPal to let users send money through the app while chatting. In 2019, Skype was one of the most downloaded mobile apps of the decade!
Joining Microsoft
.svg){kind=spacer}
On May 10, 2011, Microsoft Corporation bought Skype for $8.5 billion. Skype then became a part of Microsoft. Microsoft started adding Skype features into its own products. For example, they made a special Skype app for their new Windows 8 operating system in 2012. It even became the main messaging app for Windows 8.1.
Microsoft also replaced its old messaging service, Windows Live Messenger, with Skype in 2013. In 2015, Microsoft's business communication tool, Lync, was also replaced by Skype for Business, which combined features from both.
After the Big Purchase
After Microsoft bought Skype, they kept adding new features. In August 2013, Skype updated its iPhone and iPad apps to allow high-definition (HD) video calls. In November 2014, Microsoft Office programs started using Skype chat, so people could talk to co-workers while working on the same document.
In September 2015, Skype introduced "Mojis," which were short video clips and GIFs from movies and TV shows that users could send in chats, like advanced emoticons. Skype also worked on a new version for Linux users. In September 2016, you could even use Siri voice commands to call Skype contacts on iOS devices.
In February 2017, Skype stopped its Wi-Fi service. In June 2017, Microsoft tried to update Skype with features similar to Snapchat, allowing users to share temporary photos and videos. However, many users didn't like this change, and Skype later removed it. In December 2017, Skype added "Skype Interviews," a tool for people to do job interviews for programming jobs with shared code editing.
In April 2017, Skype changed its system from peer-to-peer to a central server system. This allowed messages and files to be saved in the cloud. The apps also got a new look, focusing more on text messaging.
Microsoft announced in February 2025 that Skype would be retired on May 5, 2025. It was replaced by the free version of Microsoft Teams.
What Skype Could Do
Skype users had a special Skype ID and could be found in the Skype directory. Users could send instant messages and make voice calls. Voice calls included talking to one person or having group calls. Skype's text chat allowed group chats, fun emoticons, and saving chat history.
The Online Number service, also called SkypeIn, let Skype users receive calls on their computers from regular phones. You could get a local Skype phone number in many countries, and calls to that number would cost the same as a local call.
Skype allowed free group calls, video chats, and screen sharing for up to 25 people, which later increased to 50 people in April 2019.
It's important to know that Skype could not call emergency numbers like 911 in North America or 112 in Europe. Because of this, experts suggested that people always have a regular phone line for emergencies.
In 2019, Skype added a cool feature that could blur the background during video calls using special computer programs, even if your webcam didn't have a special depth camera. In 2023, Skype also added the Bing AI chatbot for some users.
How Many People Used Skype?
Skype was very popular! By the end of 2010, there were over 660 million Skype accounts worldwide. In August 2015, about 300 million people used Skype every month.
In February 2012, a record 34 million people were online on Skype at the same time. This record was broken several times, reaching over 50 million users online at once by January 2013. In June 2012, Skype was downloaded over 70 million times on Android phones.
In the first three months of 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of daily Skype users increased by 70%. However, Skype also lost many users to other apps like Zoom during this time.
After the pandemic, Skype's daily user count went down to 36 million in 2023. This was partly because Microsoft Teams became very popular, especially for businesses, reaching 300 million active users in mid-2023.
Saying Goodbye to Skype
Microsoft announced that Skype would be retired on May 5, 2025. It was replaced by Microsoft Teams for "modern communications." Microsoft also said that users could sign into Teams using their Skype login details. Users were also given the option to download their Skype information if they didn't want to use Teams. This closure was completed on May 5, 2025. Any money users had for making calls could still be used through a special web app, but new credit could not be bought.
Skype's Programs and Devices
Programs for Computers
Many different versions of Skype were made for Windows computers. The first versions were for desktop computers, starting in 2003. Later, a mobile version was made for Windows Phones.
In 2012, a new Skype version for Windows 8 looked similar to the Windows Phone app. In 2015, Microsoft introduced three new apps for Windows 10: Messaging, Skype Video, and Phone, to combine Skype features. However, in 2016, Skype announced that these apps would be replaced by a new, improved app for Windows 10.
The last version of Skype for Windows was Skype 12, which worked on many Windows 10 systems, including Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and Windows phones. Microsoft also offered an older version, Skype 8, which worked on older Windows systems like Windows XP.
Other Computer Programs
Mobile Phone Programs
Skype used to have apps for older phones like feature phones, Nokia X, Symbian, and BlackBerry devices. These older apps stopped working in early 2017.
Other Devices
Skype also worked on some other interesting devices:
- Nokia Internet tablets (like the Nokia N800)
- The Nokia N9 phone had Skype calls and messages built-in.
- Sony Mylo devices
- Some PlayStation Portable and PlayStation Vita gaming devices could use Skype, but this was stopped in 2016.
- Some Samsung Smart TVs had a Skype app, but this feature was also later turned off.
- Special Wi-Fi phones were made to work with Skype, allowing calls from Wi-Fi hotspots without a computer.
- The 3G Skypephone was a special mobile phone made with Skype in 2007.
How Skype Worked
The Way It Connected
Skype used its own special way of connecting calls over the internet, called the Skype protocol. This protocol was kept secret by Skype. Skype originally used a "peer-to-peer" system, which meant that users' computers connected directly to each other, similar to how the old Kazaa file-sharing software worked. This was different from most other internet services that use a central server.
In 2014, Skype changed its protocol. This meant that users had to update their Skype apps to keep using the service. After this change, files shared on Skype were saved on central servers.
Sound and Video Quality
Skype used special ways to compress sound and video so they could travel quickly over the internet. For sound, it used codecs like G.729, SVOPC, and a special one called SILK. Skype also helped create a free sound codec called Opus, which is now used widely.
For video, Skype used VP7 in older versions. From version 7.0 onwards, it used H.264 for both group and one-on-one video calls, allowing for high-definition video.
Skype Qik
Skype also had a service called Skype Qik. It was relaunched in 2014 and focused on sending short video messages between people and groups on mobile phones.
Keeping Things Safe and Private
Skype said it used strong encryption to keep conversations private and secure. Encryption means scrambling information so only the right people can read it. However, because Skype's technology was secret, it was hard for outside experts to check if it was always perfectly secure.
Some researchers found that Skype's traffic could be identified even when users tried to hide it. In 2008, officials in Austria claimed they could listen to Skype conversations, but Skype did not comment on this.
The US government has laws that require phone companies to allow wiretapping (listening in on calls) if they have a special order. Skype argued that it was not a traditional phone company and was therefore different. However, some reports suggested that Microsoft made changes to Skype's system to make it easier for authorities to access information if needed.
In 2009, Skype started a project called "Project Chess" to explore ways to share calls with intelligence agencies and law enforcement. In 2013, leaked documents showed that US agencies like the NSA and the FBI could listen in on Skype calls, read messages, and see file transfers through a program called PRISM.
By August 2018, Skype added "end-to-end encryption" across all its platforms. This means that messages and calls are encrypted from the sender's device all the way to the receiver's device, making it much harder for anyone else to access them.
Online Safety Concerns
Unfortunately, like many online communication tools, Skype could sometimes be misused. There were reports of bad actors using video conferencing apps for illegal activities. The Australian Federal Police mentioned that some criminals tried to direct harmful acts using live streaming services.
Skype in China
In China, the Skype software was offered through a partnership with a Chinese company called TOM Online. This version of Skype followed China's internet rules, which included monitoring text messages. Reports in 2008 showed that TOM Online was saving the content of some Skype text conversations, especially those about political topics. This information included details about the users.
Later, Microsoft worked to improve privacy and encryption for Skype users in China. However, the Linux version of Skype was not available in mainland China.
Many Languages
Skype was available in many different languages, including Arabic, Chinese, English, French, German, Japanese, Spanish, and many more. Users could also create their own language files, so there were over 80 other language options available.
Help for Users
Skype had a customer service system where users could find help online, in a community forum, or through social media like Twitter and Facebook. For some paid users, direct chat support was available.
Skype also changed its policy in 2010 regarding money in accounts that hadn't been used for a long time. They stopped taking funds from inactive accounts after a lawsuit.
Learning with Skype
Even though Skype was a business product, it became very popular in schools and for educational projects around the world. Teachers used it to connect students who spoke different languages, take "virtual field trips," and talk directly with experts.
"Skype in the classroom" was a free tool on Skype's website that helped teachers make learning more interactive. Teachers could find other teachers to collaborate with or find experts to talk to their students. For example, a program called Skype a Scientist connected thousands of classrooms with volunteer scientists.
However, some schools and colleges blocked Skype on their networks, so it wasn't used everywhere.
See also
In Spanish: Skype para niños
- Comparison of VoIP software
- Instant messaging
- Videoconferencing
