Microsoft has announced the permanent shutdown of Skype, marking the end of an era for the pioneering app. The company will now focus on Teams, its business-oriented communication platform.

Microsoft is closing down Skype, the video-calling service it bought for $8.5 billion in 2011, which had helped spark a transformation in how

To encourage this transition, Microsoft will soon allow users to sign in to the free version of Teams with their Skype username and password. By using the same credentials, users will be able to access their existing chats and contacts if they want to pick up where they left off.