Computer software giant Microsoft has bought Skype, which is currently the world’s largest phone company for international calls via the internet, hosting a quarter of all international phone calls last year. With a giant corporation such as Microsoft now in charge, we can expect to see the integration of Skype into many of Microsoft’s software packages, with the aim to bring even greater inter-connectivity between a single user and the whole world.
And what else?
«I feel that we’ll see the end of MSN Messenger as it now on the Windows platform, it will be re-worked into Skype. On the Mac platform, I expect that Microsoft will keep the product going as it is now, as its well established product and has a very good name and it will also be added into the Office for Mac for suite within time.»
Neil Hobbs
Microsoft Infrastructure/Solutions Architect
«Most likely, Microsoft will integrate Skype in to IE through bing and make calls free or give free subscription for a certain time to all the new customers who buy office or Windows or other product licenses. Other thing they might look in to is integrating Skype in to Xbox and introduces better video calling in to it…»
Vivek Vemuru
MBA Candidate
«Predictions, huh? Looking at what the world is going through: the Internet it self is gonna change to keep it’s free and “unregulated” character. If I had any stocks in a regular phone company…I’d sell. All regular communication providers are doubling the costs for 24/7 data transfer at the moment. MS is not investing in cables and masts. A few satellites will pay off. Making a wireless Internet. Suited for mobile devices and humans to go cyborg. Augmented reality is here to stay. Skype to MS is just a small part of the coming changes. Futurists taking over the world:-)»
Nay Lin Maung
Student at the Silicon Valley
«Pitch 1
– For every Microsoft Office license purchased, get $10 credit worth of Skype free
Pitch 2
– Buy $1m or more in Microsoft Dynamics licenses, get a lifetime access to Skype
Pitch 3
– Skype sponsors FIFA matches, Microsoft plants cookies in every TV in the world
Pitch 4
– Buy $10m or more in Microsoft Dynamics licenses, you get the actual company Skype
Pitch 5
– Hold on to Skype for 2 years, re-sell it to EBay for $2.6bn after a huge write-off or trade it to Cisco for FLIP»
Alvin Hosanna
at IDC Asia/Pacific
«An exodus of most of the top line talent and coders. Most of these guys work for entrepreneurs, and will not work for a stifling corporate culture like exists at MS in Redmond.
Lack of support for Android and iPhone.
Slower development cycle.»
Greg Poulos
Audiovisual services for Corporate Events
In my opinion, the news that Microsoft has bought Skype could be just the start of an exciting new visionary future in inter-world communication.
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