Can Microsoft handle Skype?

McCrazieGoalz said:
I point to Microsoft's relationship with Nokia.

I believe the smartphone is the biggest hope for Skype to grow their revenue.

Partnerships with network carriers like MTN would lead to greater use of data through VoIP, and with the large number of phones that Nokia expects to sell in what seems like a revival of its marketing and cutting edge device production (E6, E7, E8 etc more to come in the near future), it is easy to visualise Nokia and Microsoft embedding Skype with their smartphones, even allowing other device users to upgrade their software (Symbian S60 etc) so that they too would have Skype embedded and easy to use for VoIP telephony.

Microsoft will merge these technology somehow and this is how I see them doing it. Buying Skype gives Microsoft greater bargaining power with networks to allow it to do exactly what it needs to do with the technology available.

This where I see it going.
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I was about to post something similar. This had to be part of Microsoft's thinking when footing the giant bill for Skype.
 
Elimentals said:
I am sure they are, but if everybody quits using Skype today, no amount of assists would be able to make up for it, and M$ would be a couple of billion in the red.

I am not saying people are going to quit, its just a possibility that you have to risk.
Click to expand...

I doubt that everybody will quit skype, so it's not a risk.

Whether the spend is worth it, is a different debate, but as i'm not a MS shareholder, it doesn't concern me too much.

Balmer has stated that MS will continue existing product support (google skype balmer), whether for MS or any other platform, and will be extending it. What this means in practice only time will tell.
 
I think its a good move from MS part! Happy to hear they will continue with other platform support!
 
TallShaw said:
Was skype broke to begin with? Does it even need fixing?
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Exactly...if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Just because Microsoft now owns it, doesn't mean carriers will unblock Skype now so that they can start losing revenue.

God help us....what it will probably mean is that I must install buy M$ Outlook so that Skyple can read my Outlook address book.
 
Will be interesting to watch the progress on this and see what the long term benefits are to the users (if any)
 
I wonder how autonomous Microsoft will allow Skype to remain. Like most big companies they have a history of 'integrating' acquisitions by destroying what made them a good buy in the first place.
 
I think they are going to do just fine with the technology... :)
Expect some goodies in their productivity suite come the next edition of Office...
 
I'm sure Microsoft paid the premium there just so no one else could get access to that rather large number of users. Large user base = large advertising platform.

I can only hope that they don't bloat the application - it already is too resource hungry. But hey - they are microsoft, they will do what they want!
 
antowan said:
I think they are going to do just fine with the technology... :)
Expect some goodies in their productivity suite come the next edition of Office...
Click to expand...

Actually office already has a communicator with full Outlook integration.
Microsoft Lync, used to be Office Communicator.

Works exactly like skype, but only internal office addressbook contacts are allowed.
 
Advertisements? Never see them on linux skype :) Having had to install the windows version some time ago I nearly fainted trying to figure out where the actual skypeness is, how to start a chat with someone, largely because of the article mentioned banners.
 
Simple - they just buy them, collect any profits and at a later stage decide how they are going to integrate it with Windows.
 
microsoft has to worry about fixing their own msn network... skype in my opinion is 100 times better than msn.
 
This is actually a "cheap" purchase for Microsoft:

700 million users +/- at $8.5B is in the region of $13-15 per user -> When they invested in Facebook it was at $100+ per user.

If they can make $13-15 profit of each user within the first year then they will be in the green and probably start breaking even soon afterwards if you take operational cost into consideration.

Long term this could be a cash cow for them.
 
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They have the ability, it depends on their strategic view. But it does make MS a huge international Telecoms player now...
 
*begins uninstalling Skype*
Live Messenger is already to bulky and slow for me, I worry that the same will happen to Skype.
Then again this may take me completely by surprise and be exactly what the program needs:)
 
Farewell to Skype being free.
Very clever strategicaly. [MS adds, banner, spam, product placements]
They probably gonna paire it with windows mobile phones (Nokia as well).

Peace "B"
 
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