Skype turns 10 today, and according to reports it is developing 3D video calling technology.
Microsoft’s corporate vice president for Skype, Mark Gillett, confirmed the work in an interview with the BBC. He said the technology exists in the lab and the team is evaluating device ecosystems and capabilities to determine when it could be brought to market.
The idea of sending realistic “body doubles” to meetings — a concept hinted at in a Microsoft job advertisement earlier this year — is still several years away from becoming practical. For now the focus is on feasibility and the device ecosystem needed to support such an experience.
Ten years of disruption
Skype’s first decade has been a remarkable story. Mark Lewis, vice president of communications and networking at Interoute, described Skype’s first ten years as the kind of success internet startups dream of. Skype helped lead the VoIP revolution, becoming the long‑distance voice option for savvy consumers and later a default non‑telephony voice and video medium used by both consumers and businesses.
After Microsoft acquired Skype for $8.5 billion in 2011, the service became an important asset in Microsoft’s wider strategy. Despite criticism from some analysts who argued Microsoft overpaid, Skype has been integrated across Microsoft’s platforms — prominent examples include Xbox One integration and inclusion with Windows 8.1 — while also being made available on other ecosystems such as PlayStation and some smart TVs.
Competition and mobile challenges
Competition in voice and messaging is intensifying. This month WhatsApp announced the addition of voice calling, reinforcing that hearing a loved one’s voice remains a powerful part of communication. With mobile devices as the key battleground, services designed primarily for mobile users can have an edge over Skype, which still requires a login on mobile and, for some users, can feel less seamless than native mobile messaging apps.
Those mobile frictions matter because Skype’s revenue model still relies heavily on paid calls and related services. Microsoft does not disclose exact revenue breakdowns for Skype, but the company’s income is understood to come largely from calling services rather than pure messaging features.
Former Skype employee Henn Ruukel, now at messaging company Fleep, told the Financial Times that “good video calling was the number one priority” at Skype and that instant messaging was treated as a secondary feature. That prioritization helps explain why Skype remains identified primarily with voice and video communications even as messaging platforms expand their capabilities.
Regulatory and legacy questions
Skype’s identity has also drawn regulatory scrutiny. In March, the French telecoms regulator ARCEP challenged Skype for not declaring itself as a telecommunications operator under French law. Such regulatory classifications reflect ongoing questions about how over‑the‑top (OTT) communication services fit into existing telecom frameworks.
Regardless of how regulators define it, Skype’s impact has been significant. Research has shown that Skype dramatically increased international calling volumes; a report cited last year indicated Skype added tens of billions of minutes of international traffic in 2011, outpacing traditional telephone carriers in international traffic growth.
Looking ahead
Despite its strong legacy, Skype faces the familiar tech challenge of continuously innovating rather than relying on past success. The prospect of 3D video calling is intriguing and could reshape remote interaction, but many users would likely prefer more reliable 2D voice and video performance first. Frequent call drops, login friction on mobile, and competition from mobile‑native services are practical issues that matter to daily users.
As Skype moves into its second decade, the company must balance ambitious long‑term research with improvements to the core calling and messaging experience. Whether the future brings immersive 3D presence or incremental refinements to reliability and mobile convenience, Skype’s next chapter will be defined by how well it adapts to a rapidly evolving communications landscape.
What do you make of Skype’s first 10 years?