Did MS Ruin Skype?

[rodneyej]

What's your opinion about Skype? Did MS ruin Skype? Is Skype better than ever? Is Skype still popular? Would Skype be better today off if MS didn't acquire it?

 

[kingtigre]

Yes. They've made it an unreliable mess. It was my go to messenger. But now, I can't count on it.
Messages don't deliver. Messages don't sync across devices. Messages don't arrive.

I don't need bells, whistles, features. I just need to know I can count on the messaging.

 

[dicks-webos]

Yes, the MS organization style broke it. Would they have left Skype separate, it would probably be still a key messenger.

I've been involved with Skype since 2004. The sale to eBay, the taking back and then selling to MS. Went through it all.

The key market change that broke Skype is the huge growth of mobile (Android mainly). The Skype founders initially started with a pure Windows app. 32 bit, classic style. Added in a few 3rd party components and it was done.

Unfortunately, around 2007/2008 the first iPhones appeared and Skype was technically in no position to offer a competitive solution (due to their power consuming P2P tech). They basically totally missed getting on the mobile phone bandwagon.

MS tried to do this by getting rid of the P2P stack and replacing it with the messenger backend they had. But by then Whatsapp, Telegram, Threema, Signal, etc. already had a too big market share.

So yes, it is a sad development but not uncommon in the tech industry.

 

[Hirox K]

Yes, the MS organization style broke it. Would they have left Skype separate, it would probably be still a key messenger.
So yes, it is a sad development but not uncommon in the tech industry.

Mobile!
The answer is trend. Skype is old, and kids want something that belongs to their era e.g. Instagram.
Skype between family members or friends? No, they use Messenger, WhatsApp or Line.
If Nadella had stepped in earlier, making Skype available on iOS, Android, everywhere... It'd prob helped a lilo, within enterprise market.

Still, 350m monthly active users isn't bad but prob won't grow anymore, esp outside enterprise market. To do that, Skype needs a new (not-enterprise) face, needs to be fresh and appeal to general public (and maybe that's why you all hated it. Personally I can adapt to any UI changes, I always do).
So, change is no good, no change is no good == dead in the water.

Skype Business will be replaced by Team.
Skype... who's the target audiences? The same business people?

 

[Great deal]

What's your opinion about Skype? Did MS ruin Skype? Is Skype better than ever? Is Skype still popular? Would Skype be better today off if MS didn't acquire it?

Microsofts internal power struggle and old team structures completely destroyed this. They also have an unhealthy amount of arrogance, hopefully, this will serve as a wakeup call. IF lessons are leant then its ok, if not then a new CEO is needed to shake the culture tree.

 

[Jcmg62]

What's your opinion about Skype? Did MS ruin Skype? Is Skype better than ever? Is Skype still popular? Would Skype be better today off if MS didn't acquire it?

I think it's fair to say that Microsoft did a Nokia on Skype

Yeah, they broke it. Hard

 

[Wevenhuis]

What's your opinion about Skype? Did MS ruin Skype? Is Skype better than ever? Is Skype still popular? Would Skype be better today off if MS didn't acquire it?

I'm not sure that Microsoft ruined Skype per se. But the CEO of skype and Microsoft CTO of skype should have done a better job of streamlining the proces. Skype has been a wild west of what seems never ending new versions and versions stopped dead in their tracks. I can understand this method from a creative perspective, make mistakes and learn and improve on them. But I think it is wrong that the consumer is the Guinea pig and is seriously hampering the end user experience. I think Skype and Microsoft have been ethically too controversial to warrant what they are doing now with the customers and end users. There is benefit to the method, but I'm not getting a sense business customers are taken seriously. And I don't see a holistic view with the windows ecosystem and windows as a service. I understand services come and go, but one service is only half baked where the user is practically forced to push on to another service, while only just being accustomed. The current experience is more like using the software for the sake of technical prowess, rather than focusing on the experience and letting users actually settle and use the tools ready and available to get on with their work and move on. I think the time is ripe for this feedback to reach management of both companies.


For me the power of skype would be the strengths of skype as I have known it before it was bought by Microsoft. Secondly Microsoft should not adopt a me too strategy of integrating new features, but rather be on top of matters and integrate other social messaging platforms with skype as the converging main interface. integrate WhatsApp and face messenger viber etc feeds and threads through a skype dashboard and unified inbox. I think that is smart and of more value and would make skype on windows more sense, that Microsoft continuing its own version for the Microsoft ecosystem. They're already coding for apps on other platforms. I think they should think more inclusively which this service rather that creating another silo. I think this strategy would help the use and adoption of Microsoft software and windows better, today. But they're not doing this.

 

[RagingTyga]

What's your opinion about Skype? Did MS ruin Skype? Is Skype better than ever? Is Skype still popular? Would Skype be better today off if MS didn't acquire it?

I like the new Skype. It solved much of the problems I had with the UWP version of Skype. I actually think they should just replace the UWP version with this and deploy it that way. With the SMS relay function coming, and contact sync, it's getting better, The only thing they need to do now is allow me to separate tabs in multiple windows like I could with OG Skype, then allow a way to bridge it with Xbox live chat services and it'll be perfect

 

[sd4f]

I don't think MS ruined it, they just failed to innovate the product, similarly, that's why skype probably got sold, since they could see the new waves of mobile apps coming.

Another point to consider is that Skype is seen to only really do video calling. I think it needs a lot of market education since an app like whatsapp basically does everything skype does, yet for some reason came along and completely dominates. If there are some usability features that could be 'borrowed' then they should look into it.

Lastly, people tend to not have unique accounts anymore and add people that way. This is one of Skype's legacy aspects, where establishing an account is slow and annoying. Additionally, adding people and expanding your list is also annoying, whereas FB messenger, was just so easy, since just about everyone is already there.

 

[rodneyej]

Yeah, MS should be running a Skype beta program (as they did with Facebook for Windows Phone) this would eliminate a lot of confusing consumer facing changes.

Originally posted by Wevenhuis

Originally Posted by rodneyej
What's your opinion about Skype? Did MS ruin Skype? Is Skype better than ever? Is Skype still popular? Would Skype be better today off if MS didn't acquire it?

I'm not sure that Microsoft ruined Skype per se. But the CEO of skype and Microsoft CTO of skype should have done a better job of streamlining the proces. Skype has been a wild west of what seems never ending new versions and versions stopped dead in their tracks. I can understand this method from a creative perspective, make mistakes and learn and improve on them. But I think it is wrong that the consumer is the Guinea pig and is seriously hampering the end user experience. I think Skype and Microsoft have been ethically too controversial to warrant what they are doing now with the customers and end users. There is benefit to the method, but I'm not getting a sense business customers are taken seriously. And I don't see a holistic view with the windows ecosystem and windows as a service. I understand services come and go, but one service is only half baked where the user is practically forced to push on to another service, while only just being accustomed. The current experience is more like using the software for the sake of technical prowess, rather than focusing on the experience and letting users actually settle and use the tools ready and available to get on with their work and move on. I think the time is ripe for this feedback to reach management of both companies.


For me the power of skype would be the strengths of skype as I have known it before it was bought by Microsoft. Secondly Microsoft should not adopt a me too strategy of integrating new features, but rather be on top of matters and integrate other social messaging platforms with skype as the converging main interface. integrate WhatsApp and face messenger viber etc feeds and threads through a skype dashboard and unified inbox. I think that is smart and of more value and would make skype on windows more sense, that Microsoft continuing its own version for the Microsoft ecosystem. They're already coding for apps on other platforms. I think they should think more inclusively which this service rather that creating another silo. I think this strategy would help the use and adoption of Microsoft software and windows better, today. But they're not doing this.

 

[Akshay M]

As per my knowledge being a Skype for business online user. Microsoft is soon gonna stop supporting Skype for business. MS Teams is the new official app of Microsoft for online conferencing