Toast - Skype

In this episode of the BBC Radio 4 series "Toast," Sean Farrington and Sam White explore the rise and fall of Skype. The discussion covers Skype's early innovation in free internet calls and video conferencing, its acquisition by eBay and later Microsoft, and the cultural clashes that contributed to its decline. Guests including Peter Raeburn (creator of the Skype ringtone), Andrew Sinclair (former Skype General Manager), and Sam Shead (tech journalist) provide insights into Skype's development, its impact on communication, and the reasons it was ultimately overtaken by competitors like Zoom and Microsoft Teams. Sam White concludes that Skype's acquisition by Microsoft and the tech giant's existing culture led to the brand becoming "toast."