Skype launched in 2003 as a desktop video calling service, and its distinctive incoming call ringtone became one of the most recognisable sounds of early online communication. As video calls became part of everyday life, the chime spread through prank videos, reaction clips and comedy edits, where it instantly signalled that someone was calling. Even after Skype declined in popularity, creators kept using it as shorthand for an unexpected call, a missed connection or a throwback to the early internet era.