aug 29, 2003 - Skype is released

Description:

Founded by Niklas Zennström and Janus Friis – entrepreneurs from Sweden and Denmark, respectively – Skype emerged as a revolutionary platform for voice over internet protocol (VoIP) services, enabling users to make voice and video calls over the internet. Launched on 29th August 2003, Skype's user-friendly interface and high-quality calls gained rapid popularity. Skype's 'freemium' model offered free Skype-to-Skype calls, generating revenue from premium features.

In 2005, eBay acquired Skype for $2.6 billion. Despite integration challenges, Skype continued to grow, reaching 663 million registered users by 2010. Microsoft acquired Skype in 2011 for $8.5 billion and integrated it into its suite of products. By the end of the 2010s, Skype had evolved into a versatile communication tool for both personal and business use. During the COVID-19 pandemic, however, Skype lost a large part of its market share to Zoom.

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