News

Skype Rings Off After Two Decades — Here’s What Happens Next

Microsoft is shutting down Skype on May 5, ending a 20-year run as it shifts focus to Teams and AI-powered collaboration tools.

Published

1 year ago

May 5, 2025

Nour Nasir

skype rings off after two decades here's what happens next

Skype, once the go-to platform for internet calls and video chats, is officially shutting down on May 5, marking the end of a service that helped define online communication in the early 2000s. Microsoft, which acquired Skype in 2011, first announced the decision in February as part of a broader pivot toward its Teams platform.

Launched in 2003, Skype quickly became a cultural mainstay, connecting hundreds of millions of users across the globe. At its peak, it had over 300 million monthly active users. But in recent years, it lost ground to platforms like Zoom, WhatsApp, and Microsoft’s own Teams, as users demanded more integrated, mobile-friendly, and reliable communication tools.

Why Is Skype Being Shut Down?

Skype’s sunset reflects a broader strategy shift at Microsoft. While the service played a foundational role in the company’s early mobile and consumer communication offerings, it struggled to transition to the enterprise space. Efforts to position Skype for Business against platforms like Slack fell short, prompting Microsoft to build Teams from the ground up.

Today, Teams has emerged as the company’s flagship for workplace collaboration, bolstered by generative AI features and deep integration with Microsoft 365. With Teams now fulfilling the roles Skype once played — voice, video, messaging, and more — Skype’s relevance has waned.

Technical issues also accelerated the platform’s decline. Users increasingly cited reliability problems, like missed calls and syncing issues, while frequent redesigns (including an ill-fated Snapchat-style interface) alienated loyal users.

What Happens Next For Users?

Microsoft is offering existing Skype users a migration path to Teams. By signing in with their Skype credentials, users can retain their contacts and chat history, with the app itself offering step-by-step guidance for a seamless transition.

For those who prefer not to migrate, Microsoft allows data exports until January 2026. After that, all remaining Skype data will be deleted permanently.

As Microsoft retires one of its most iconic services, the move underscores a larger industry trend — tools built for consumer-grade communication are giving way to AI-powered, enterprise-focused platforms. Skype may be ringing off, but its legacy in reshaping digital communication endures.

News

Abu Dhabi’s Robot Kitchen Is Serving Up Biryani, Not Burgers

Circus SE wants to put a tiny automated factory inside the buildings where Gulf residents live and work, bypassing part of last-mile delivery.

Published

5 days ago

October 20, 2026

Nour Nasir

abu dhabi's robot kitchen is serving up biryani not burgers

Circus SE

The most telling thing about a new autonomous kitchen now running in Abu Dhabi’s Marina Square is what it won’t cook:

“We don’t do fast food,” says Nikolas Bullwinkel, Founder and CEO of Circus SE. “We’ve actively decided not to build a machine that can only do burgers”.

Instead, the CA-1 system is built around pot-based cooking: curries, pastas, soups and rice dishes. After experimenting with highly personalized recipes, Circus deliberately leaned back toward recognizable food. “We’re going with a chicken biryani because you know it,” Bullwinkel says of the AED 40 dish.

circus se ca-1 robot system

The Germany-based robotics and food technology company operates across eight countries, and Abu Dhabi is its first deployment outside Europe. More locations are expected there and in Dubai.

In Germany, its units can be placed in supermarkets, gas stations, airports and hospitals. In the Gulf, Bullwinkel wants them inside residential and office buildings, replacing some of the complexity of last-mile delivery. “We’re basically bringing a very tiny factory a few square meters into your building,” he says. Catering company Royal Prestige supplies the ingredients and knowledge of local tastes.

The CA-1 manages up to 36 refrigerated ingredient silos alongside automated induction cooking, robotic plating and a self-cleaning dishwasher. Two robotic arms move ingredients through the system with minimal human intervention. It can produce up to 120 hot meals an hour, and a meal such as rice and curry can take around three to four minutes.

Also Read: Ooredoo Qatar’s 5G+ Network Is Built For Machines As Much As People

Five cameras and multiple sensors monitor heat, temperature and consistency, an attempt to approximate what a chef perceives. “You can hear something gets burned, you can smell it, you can see it at some point,” Bullwinkel says. CircusOS, the company’s operating system, adjusts recipes in real time.

You might think of the platform as a threat to kitchen staff, but Bullwinkel frames Circus as a way for chefs to develop recipes and distribute them at scale. With that being said, rising labor costs and shortages are also part of his case for automation.