Skype launched in 2003 and became the default voice and video calling app for millions before smartphones took over, with its bubbling ringtone heard in homes, offices and internet cafes worldwide. The sound was composed from short synthesized marimba-like tones and became inseparable from waiting for a friend to pick up. As Skype faded against newer apps, the ringtone survived online as a nostalgic meme sound, reused in edits, streams and fake call sketches to instantly signal old internet culture and early 2000s communication.