Skype, once a prominent player in the phone and messaging arena, has undergone a significant transformation. The Microsoft-owned platform has quietly ceased allowing users to top-up accounts with credit and purchase Skype phone numbers. This move has led to a shift towards a SaaS mode, with users now being pushed towards monthly subscriptions for regional and global Skype-to-phone plans.

Microsoft's Skype: From Account Top-Up to Subscription

Trailblazing Beginnings

Skype emerged as a trailblazer in internet calling and messaging services. Founded in 2003 in Europe, specifically Luxembourg, it was one of the first large-scale, disruptive consumer VoIP services. It enabled users to make free internet-based voice calls bypassing traditional telephone lines and associated costs. Later, it added features like instant messaging, video, and file-sharing, which became standard in all messaging apps.Over the years, Skype has had various owners. It was acquired by eBay in 2005 with big ambitions, but those plans didn't pan out. Four years later, eBay sold it to a private consortium. In 2010, Skype filed for an IPO, revealing a massive user base. Microsoft bought it in 2011 and it has remained under its ownership ever since.The service was always free for Skype-to-Skype communication and made money by charging for calls to mobile and landlines. It also had a paid service for buying local phone numbers.

The Decline and Recent Surge

While Skype has been on a decline for some time, it saw a significant spike in usage during the lockdown in 2020. Microsoft revealed that Skype had 40 million daily users in March 2020, a 70 percent month-on-month increase. It was used by 100 million people each month. However, it's not clear how many active users Skype has today as Microsoft hasn't provided an update.Despite this, Skype still advertises Skype Credit and numbers in various places, but the sales have been permanently halted. When logged in through the web, it still invites users to purchase credit but stops short of allowing the transaction."The sales of new Skype numbers and Skype credit have been permanently halted," the spokesperson said. "For some customers, the interface for purchasing new Skype credit may still be visible in certain entry points, although payment attempts will not go through. We are aware of this issue and working on making the necessary updates."In short, the changes last week are likely to impact millions of people who used Skype for its phone functionality. Modern messaging apps like WhatsApp don't have this feature, while Zoom offers a similar product targeted at the business market.

Swiss robotics firm Anybotics has achieved a significant milestone by raising an additional $60 million, bringing its Series B round to a total of $110 million. This comes approximately 18 months after initially announcing the raising of a $50 million Series B. Spun out from the renowned ETH Zurich research university in 2016, Anybotics has developed a remarkable quadruped autonomous inspection robot known as Anymal, equipped with an array of sensors and cameras for the purpose of monitoring equipment in industrial settings. It can be utilized for various tasks such as tracking thermal anomalies as part of a preventive maintenance routine or detecting the presence of combustible gas.

Revolutionizing Industrial Inspections with Autonomous Robots

Company Background and Mission

Anybotics addresses the critical challenge of conducting routine inspections in complex and hazardous industrial environments. By automating these tasks, the company minimizes human exposure to dangerous or hard-to-reach areas. This leads to reduced downtime through more frequent inspections and higher coverage, as well as streamlined maintenance processes, ultimately resulting in higher productivity and operational reliability. In the 18 months since raising the first tranche of the Series B, the Zürich-based startup has witnessed a remarkable doubling of the number of units sold. Currently, close to 200 robots are deployed across diverse industries such as oil and gas, mining, power, utilities, and metals. Notable customers include Novelis (aluminum rolling and recycling), Iamgold (gold mining), Stelco (steel milling), and Stanford University, which employs Anybotics for advanced research purposes. "Our customers deploy anywhere from a single robot to fleets exceeding 10 robots, with the largest customer orders approaching 20 robots," explained Fankhauser. Fleet orders are becoming increasingly common as many of the company's industrial clients operate over 100 facilities globally, each with the potential to deploy multiple Anymal robots.

Anymal in Action and Its Impact

The capabilities of Anymal in real-world applications are truly remarkable. It can navigate through challenging industrial environments with ease, providing accurate and detailed inspection data. This helps industries ensure the safety and efficiency of their operations. For example, in the oil and gas industry, Anymal can detect potential leaks and other issues before they escalate into major problems, saving time and resources. In mining, it can access areas that are difficult for humans to reach, enabling more comprehensive inspections. The deployment of Anymal robots has led to significant improvements in maintenance processes and overall operational reliability.

Funding and Future Plans

Anybotics has now raised a total of $130 million since its inception. With the fresh $60 million in its coffers, the company is well-positioned to drive its U.S. expansion following the recent opening of its San Francisco office. It is notable that Anybotics has chosen to label this latest investment as an extension of the funding round that took place 18 months ago, rather than calling it a Series C. This decision is related to how the company plans to utilize the funds. The Series B extension focuses on scaling the core business globally, including expanding in the U.S. The Series C, on the other hand, will target broader growth by expanding the portfolio into new applications and industries. In other words, we can anticipate a significantly larger capital injection in the future, although it is not likely to occur before 2026. This Series B extension was co-led by new investors Qualcomm Ventures and Supernova Invest. A host of new and existing investors, including Bessemer Venture Partners, Nokia-backed NGP Capital, Swisscanto, Swisscom Ventures, TDK Ventures, and Walden Catalyst, also participated in the funding round.