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Facetime vs Skype
March 06, 2025 | Author: Adam Levine
7★
FaceTime is a video calling software application and related protocol developed by Apple for supported mobile devices running the iOS, in addition to Macintosh computers running Mac OS X 10.6.6 and higher. FaceTime is supported on any iOS device with a forward-facing camera.
28★
Skype is a software application that allows users to make voice and video calls and chats over the Internet. Calls to other users within the Skype service are free, while calls to both traditional landline telephones and mobile phones can be made for a fee using a debit-based user account system. Skype has also become popular for its additional features which include instant messaging, file transfer, and videoconferencing. Skype alternative for enterprise is called Skype for Business.
FaceTime and Skype, much like tea and coffee, serve the same fundamental purpose but cater to wildly different philosophies. Both allow you to see and hear other humans (or at least their pixelated representations) over the internet, which is handy if you don’t fancy traveling vast distances just to ask someone what they want for dinner. They also let multiple people talk at once, which is either a wonderful feature or an invitation to chaos, depending on how much you enjoy deciphering overlapping voices. Both demand that you have an internet connection, a device and a certain level of patience when the Wi-Fi inevitably decides to take an impromptu vacation.
FaceTime, as the name subtly suggests, is all about faces and time, preferably if both belong to Apple users. It was birthed in 2010 by the tech overlords in Cupertino, California and has since dedicated itself to making sure that anyone with an iPhone, iPad or Mac can have smooth, lag-free conversations—unless, of course, they dare to call someone who uses anything else. It’s effortlessly built into Apple’s ecosystem, meaning you don’t need to download anything, sign up or remember yet another password. Perfect for casual chats, family gossip and accidental front-camera horror moments, it works best if you live in a world where Android users simply don’t exist.
Skype, on the other hand, has been around since 2003, originally concocted in Estonia before being scooped up by Microsoft, which means it now comes pre-installed on Windows machines like an eager but slightly outdated butler. Unlike FaceTime, it doesn’t care what kind of device you use and it offers all sorts of extra features—landline calls, file sharing and a chat system that suggests it really, really wants to be an email replacement. It has found its true calling in business meetings and long-distance relationships, particularly for those who enjoy saying, “Can you hear me now?” several times before getting to the point.
See also: Top 10 Video Calling apps
FaceTime, as the name subtly suggests, is all about faces and time, preferably if both belong to Apple users. It was birthed in 2010 by the tech overlords in Cupertino, California and has since dedicated itself to making sure that anyone with an iPhone, iPad or Mac can have smooth, lag-free conversations—unless, of course, they dare to call someone who uses anything else. It’s effortlessly built into Apple’s ecosystem, meaning you don’t need to download anything, sign up or remember yet another password. Perfect for casual chats, family gossip and accidental front-camera horror moments, it works best if you live in a world where Android users simply don’t exist.
Skype, on the other hand, has been around since 2003, originally concocted in Estonia before being scooped up by Microsoft, which means it now comes pre-installed on Windows machines like an eager but slightly outdated butler. Unlike FaceTime, it doesn’t care what kind of device you use and it offers all sorts of extra features—landline calls, file sharing and a chat system that suggests it really, really wants to be an email replacement. It has found its true calling in business meetings and long-distance relationships, particularly for those who enjoy saying, “Can you hear me now?” several times before getting to the point.
See also: Top 10 Video Calling apps
