Release of Skype

Skype was an internet telephony and video-calling service launched in August 2003, created by the Swede Niklas Zennström and the Dane Janus Friis, who had earlier built the file-sharing program Kazaa, with software developed by a team of Estonian programmers. It allowed free voice calls between computers over the internet by using a peer-to-peer network, and later added video calls, instant messaging and low-cost calls to ordinary telephones. Skype grew very rapidly, and eBay bought it in 2005 and sold most of it to investors in 2009. Microsoft acquired it in 2011 for about 8.5 billion dollars, and integrated it with its products. Competition from services such as WhatsApp, Zoom and Microsoft's own Teams eventually reduced its role, and Microsoft shut Skype down in 2025.

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