#Swedishmade: Skype

#Nordicmade is the article series in which we feature famous brands, apps, artists, DJs and companies that are made in the Nordics. 

The authors of the Skype software were the Estonians Ahti Heinla, Priit Kasesalu and Jaan Tallinn  – all whom also participated in creating the file-sharing program Kazaa.

Skype was originally meant to be named Skyper, an abbreviation of “Sky peer-to-peer” but because of the number of similar domain names already taken – the group shortened the name to Skype. At the launch event of Skype, Janus Friis said that “We hope that one day, instead of saying ‘I’ll call you’, people will say ‘I’ll Skype you,” He couldn’t have imagined how true his statement would come to be.

What Skype did back in 2003 was something completely new. Being able to call someone through the internet instead of making a phone call? Revolutionary. With the technology and amount of apps and programs we have today, it’s a given that we can communicate with who we want whenever we want. But 15 years ago it was an expensive and tedious affair to get in touch with anyone outside of country borders.

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