Breaking news

Microsoft to Retire Skype in Favor of Teams This May

by News Editor

March 3, 2025

As of May 5th, Microsoft will cease support for Skype. This move, confirmed through the company’s blog, encourages users to transition to Microsoft Teams—a platform that has become increasingly central to their strategy.

Key Facts Of The Transition

Skype support will officially end on May 5, 2025, as Microsoft shifts focus to Teams.
Microsoft Teams offers free access on all supported devices using the same credentials as Skype.
Chats and contacts will be synced automatically between Skype and Teams to ease the transition process.
Skype and Teams will run concurrently for a limited period, allowing cross-platform communication.

A Look Back: The Journey Of Skype

Launched in 2003 and acquired by Microsoft in 2011 for over $8 billion, Skype transformed communication with its platform.

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Despite its early popularity, Skype’s usage dwindled with the rise of platforms like Zoom and Microsoft Teams.

As Microsoft continues to innovate with Teams, we also see major strides in technology across the globe.

Microsoft Bets Big On South Africa With $297M AI And Cloud Investment

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

March 7, 2025

Microsoft is doubling down on its commitment to South Africa, pledging an additional 5.4 billion rand ($297 million) by 2027 to expand its cloud and AI infrastructure in the country.

The announcement, made by Vice Chairman Brad Smith in Johannesburg, comes ahead of a key South African investment conference and adds to the 20.4 billion rand Microsoft has already poured into Africa’s most industrialized economy.

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Driving Growth Through AI And Talent

Beyond boosting infrastructure, Microsoft is making a play for South Africa’s digital future. Over the next year, the tech giant will fund certification exams for 50,000 young people, equipping them with in-demand digital skills to fuel economic growth and innovation.

South Africa has struggled with sluggish economic expansion—averaging under 1% growth annually for more than a decade—and is actively courting private-sector investment to accelerate momentum.

Big Tech’s Race For Africa

Microsoft was an early mover in South Africa’s cloud computing race, launching data centers in Johannesburg and Cape Town long before Amazon and Google entered the market. The company is now ramping up capacity with a new facility in Centurion, Gauteng, while also spearheading a $1 billion geothermal-powered data center in Kenya.

President Cyril Ramaphosa welcomed the move, calling Microsoft’s investment a vote of confidence in South Africa’s economic potential. “This company really has an African heart,” he said, underscoring the country’s efforts to position itself as a prime destination for global tech investment.