Table of Contents
Microsoft announced that Skype, its internet calling and video service, will stop working on May 5th. This service has been around for about 20 years.
With Skype, people can make calls and video chats over the internet. It became popular in the mid-2000s, letting people make free calls around the world. Before Skype, making international phone calls was often very expensive.
Microsoft bought Skype in 2011 for a large amount of money. At that time, it was the company’s biggest purchase. Microsoft wanted to use Skype in its other products.
Starting in May, people will not be able to use Skype anymore. Microsoft says that users can use their login details on Microsoft Teams, which is another service they offer.
Over the years, other apps like FaceTime and WhatsApp became popular, offering similar services to Skype. Also, Microsoft has been focusing on improving its Microsoft Teams product.
Microsoft Teams has grown in popularity, especially during the pandemic when many people started working from home. Teams offers similar features to Skype and is used by many businesses.
Skype started in 2003 in Estonia and was bought by eBay in 2005. Microsoft bought it from eBay in 2011 for $8.5 billion. When Microsoft bought Skype, it had about 150 million users. By 2020, the number of users went down to around 23 million.
Currently, Microsoft Teams has about 320 million users each month.
Microsoft says that there will be no layoffs because of the shutdown.
Vocabulary
- Announce – share information openly; to tell the public; to make a statement; to report
- Service – system or tool that performs an action that is helpful to people; a business that offers a particular type of help or work; utility; system
- Make a call – to call; to telephone; to use the phone to talk to someone; to dial out
- Video chat –
- Popular – Liked by many people; something many people like; common; frequent
- International – involving two or more countries; of, relating to, or affecting two or more nations;
- Purchase – To buy something; the act of buying; something you bought
- Product – something that is made to be sold or used by people; things you buy in a shop
- Login details – The information used to enter a computer program, like a username and password
- App (application) – A computer program on a phone or computer
- Improve – to make something better
- Popularity – how much something is liked or not liked; the level or amount something is admired, enjoyed or liked
- Especially – to show that something is greater or more important than other things; particularly; notably; specifically; for the most part
- Pandemic – when a disease or sickness goes all over the country or world
- Work from home – To do your job at your house.
- Offer – to provide; to supply; to propose; to make something available for sale or use; to suggest
- Billion – 1,000,000,000 = one-billion
- Million – 1,000,000 = one-million
- User – a person who uses something
- Layoff – ending a worker’s job, especially when the worker has done nothing wrong/bad
- Shutdown – turn off; to close (down)
Quiz
Discussion Questions
- Do you think it is better to have many different apps for communication, or just a few good ones? Why?
- Why do you think Microsoft decided to shut down Skype?
- Do you think companies should always keep old services running, or should they focus on new ones? Why?
- How has working from home changed how people use communication apps?
- English teachers looking for teaching ideas, check out my post on using easy news articles for lessons.
- English learners looking for study ideas, check out my post on using news stories for English practice.
Original Story
Fill-in-the-Blank Listening Practice
Microsoft announced _____ Skype, its internet calling and video service, will stop working on May _____ . This service has been around for about _____ years.
With Skype, people can make _____ and video chats over the internet. It became popular in the mid-2000s, _____ people make free calls around the world. Before Skype, _____ international phone calls was often very expensive.
Microsoft bought Skype in _____ for a large amount of money. _____ that time, it was the company’s biggest purchase. Microsoft wanted to _____ Skype in its other products.
Starting in _____ , people will not be able to use Skype anymore. Microsoft says that _____ can use their login details on Microsoft Teams, which is _____ service they offer.
Over the years, other _____ like FaceTime and WhatsApp became popular, offering similar services to Skype. _____ , Microsoft has been focusing on improving its Microsoft Teams _____ .
Microsoft Teams has grown in _____ , especially during the pandemic when many people started _____ from home. Teams offers similar features to Skype and is used by _____ businesses.
Skype started in _____ in Estonia and was bought by eBay in 2005. Microsoft bought it _____ eBay in 2011 for $8.5 billion. When Microsoft bought Skype, it _____ about 150 million users. By _____ , the number of users went down to around 23 million.
_____ , Microsoft Teams has about 320 million users each month.
Microsoft says that there will be _____ layoffs because of the shutdown.
