For Monday, Microsoft don officially end di “Skyping” era, as dem shut down di free-calling platform afta 22 years wey e don dey change how people dey connect across borders.

Di company announce di decision for February 28, give users small time, just over two months, to move go other platforms.

Even di name “Skype” show wetin dem dey aim from di start. E come from di phrase “Sky peer-to-peer,” wey mean say di platform dey connect calls through people computer instead of di normal central hub. For di early 2000s, dis idea na big deal, and e help Skype become pioneer for internet calling.

For di mid-2010s, Skype dey connect more than 300 million people every month—about di same number as di population of United States. But as time dey go, e begin lose ground to new mobile-first apps like WhatsApp, Zoom, and even Microsoft’s own Teams.

When Microsoft buy Skype for 2011 for $8.5 billion afta dem outbid Google and Facebook—di biggest deal wey dem don do dat time—di service get about 150 million monthly users. But by 2020, di number don drop reach about 23 million, even though e get small comeback during di pandemic.

“Skype don play big role for how modern communication take shape,” Microsoft tok. “We dey proud say we follow for di journey.”

Di company don dey shift focus go dia Teams platform, wey now dey serve over 320 million monthly users for both business and personal accounts.

Di fall of desktop communication giants

Even though Skype change di way people dey communicate online for di early 2000s, e no fit adapt to wetin consumers dey expect and di new technology wey dey come out. Di app still dey focus on desktop approach well into di smartphone era, and e miss di chance to develop better mobile apps or join dia chat and video-conferencing features with social media platforms like WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger.

“Skype no fit modernize di way dem dey do dia service, pricing or marketing strategy to remain on top for di market wey dey crowded and dey move fast,” na wetin Alina Timofeeva, senior advisor for technology, data and AI, tok.

During di pandemic, Zoom blow well well, capture extra 22.3 percent of di market, while Google Meet grow by 20.2 percent. By early 2021, Zoom don dominate di space with almost half of all users, while Skype dey far back with just 6.6 percent.

Skype two-decade journey from revolutionary technology to digital relic na di same story wey many early digital platforms don face.

Other desktop giants like Yahoo! Messenger shut down for 2018 afta 20 years of service. For di early 2000s, Yahoo Messenger get over 100 million registered users and di second largest market share for US digital advertising for 2012. But e later lose ground to mobile-first apps like WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger wey dey more flexible, get better mobile access, and dey easy to use.

Yahoo no innovate well, dem no fit keep up with technology or wetin users dey expect, and bad management decisions make Yahoo Messenger no get better direction. By 2017, Yahoo core business revenue don drop to $3.9 billion from $4.8 billion for 2013.

“Yahoo no quick turn to search like Google or social like Facebook,” Laura Martin, senior analyst for Needham and Co, tok.

MSN Messenger (later Windows Live Messenger) disappear for 2013 as di user base drop from 330 million for 2009. Microsoft $8.5 billion purchase of Skype for 2012 na di beginning of di platform decline as dem merge users into Skype wey dem don shut down dis week.

AOL Instant Messenger too retire for 2017 afta e connect 36 million users. For 2000, AOL market value reach $125 billion, but by 2012, e don drop to $1.75 billion, and between January 2011 and 2012, AIM user base crash by 64%, drop from 12 million to just 4 million, lose revenue to Gmail Google Talk, SMS, and internet social networks.

“Di rise of Google and search, and Facebook and social, don carry plenty advertising revenue comot from di market,” Martin tok.

Di rise of mobile messaging apps

WhatsApp take di lead because dem design am from day one for smartphones and make sure say e dey work di same way for iOS, Android or desktop. Now, users dey send about 100 billion messages every day, almost 12 times di global SMS text messages.

Di main difference between di mobile apps and di desktop platforms na di way dem take design am. Desktop platforms dey focus on stationary computing, but mobile apps sabi say modern communication suppose dey happen anywhere, anytime.

Di lightweight apps, small data wey dem dey use, and di easy-to-use design of mobile messaging apps na wetin people wey wan dey move around dey look for, unlike di session-based approach of di old desktop platforms.

Dis shift show say for today digital world, to remain relevant, brands need to sabi how people dey live, think, and connect.

“To remain relevant, brands suppose listen, adapt, and design for di whole person, no be based on assumption, but from better understanding of wetin customers really need, using behavioral science and data-driven insights,” Alina tok give TRT World.