Microsoft confirms takeover of Skype

[Magus]

Source (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-13343600)

The deal will see Microsoft pay $8.5bn (£5.2bn) for Skype, making it Microsoft's largest acquisition.

Luxembourg-based Skype has 663 million global users. In August last year it announced plans for a share flotation, but this was subsequently put on hold.

Internet auction house eBay bought Skype for $2.6bn in 2006, before selling 70% of it in 2009 for $2bn.

This majority stake was bought by a group of investors led by private equity firms Silver Lake and Andreessen Horowit.

Other major shareholders include tech-firm Joltid and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board.

Shares in Microsoft were down 1.3% at $25.50 in early trading in New York.

More on it, in the source.

So, yeah. No more free calls now that Microsoft bought it.

[tpzy94]

wow smh stupid

[Commander Thor]

Yeah, MS is going to keep the free calling yo.
Pretty much the only reason MS bought it, is to aquire the userbase, and to integrate the skype services with their own (Xbox Live, Windows Live Messenger, Windows Phone, ect).

Edit: To expand on that, Microsoft wouldn't start charging for services they already provide for free.
Microsoft, through Windows Live Messenger, already provides free client-client calling (Both audio phone calls, and video calls. Including both audio & video conferences), as well as the standard IM services. The only thing they charge for is calling to a landline or cellphone (Which Skype also charges for).
Nothing will change because of this aquisition, believe me.

[TheMatrix]

I'm leaving Skype :(
I don't and won't trust MS.

[Sugaree]

I'm leaving Skype :(
I don't and won't trust MS.

Because obviously MS will make big changes to the product itself. Skype will be the same anyway. Microsoft just bought it for business, nothing more.

[TheMatrix]

Because obviously MS will make big changes to the product itself. Skype will be the same anyway. Microsoft just bought it for business, nothing more.
There you go.
Like I said, I don't and won't trust MS. *leaves Skype*

[Amnesiac]

There you go.
Like I said, I don't and won't trust MS. *leaves Skype*

What do you expect them to do?

This takeover doesn't mean anything. Microsoft knows better than to mess with something that's already phenomenally successful.

Now, if you're talking about Electronic Arts, that's a different story (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SimCity_(series)).

[TheMatrix]

What do you expect them to do?screw it up.

This takeover doesn't mean anything. Microsoft knows better than to mess with something that's already phenomenally successful.we'll have to wait and see...

Now, if you're talking about Electronic Arts, that's a different story (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SimCity_(series)).i have that game! it's all dusty, though.
man, i should play that again...

[Commander Thor]

screw it up.

How? Skype will still be run by Skype. They're just owned by Microsoft now.
I don't see what the issue is here.

[Sugaree]

How? Skype will still be run by Skype. They're just owned by Microsoft now.
I don't see what the issue is here.

He thinks that Microsoft will start making changes to Skype just because they own it. Look, Skype is still operated by Skype. They just have different owners. Microsoft won't change anything, you can keep using Skype and stop being OCD about the matter, 'kay?

[Maverick]

He thinks that Microsoft will start making changes to Skype just because they own it. Look, Skype is still operated by Skype. They just have different owners. Microsoft won't change anything, you can keep using Skype and stop being OCD about the matter, 'kay?

Usually in the long term after take overs changes will occur and old management gets dismantled. Take youtube for example.

[Sugaree]

Usually in the long term after take overs changes will occur and old management gets dismantled. Take youtube for example.

That's only because YouTube allowed it to happen. Google was a much stronger power than YouTube and they (Google) used it to their advantage. I doubt Skype management will get dismantled by Microsoft. You can almost guarantee that a large amount of their users would automatically stop using the service is Microsoft gets into managing Skype.

[Amnesiac]

That's only because YouTube allowed it to happen. Google was a much stronger power than YouTube and they (Google) used it to their advantage. I doubt Skype management will get dismantled by Microsoft. You can almost guarantee that a large amount of their users would automatically stop using the service is Microsoft gets into managing Skype.

Adding to this, there's no competition with YouTube. No other website that offers streaming video is nearly as popular. Google knows it can mold YouTube because its users can't threaten to leave for anywhere else.

Skype does have competition from multiple video chat services, including ooVoo, Yahoo! Messenger and Apple's FaceTime/iChat. In addition to that, if Microsoft somehow fucked up Skype, Google and other powerful Internet corporations would jump on that opportunity to lure people to their new service, like Facebook did with MySpace.

[Maverick]

Microsoft just spent an enormous amount of money buying Skype. They bought it for a reason. They clearly have some kind of business plan or vision for it beyond what it is now.

Skype, with the way it currently runs now, doesn't have much profitability. You can guarantee Microsoft is going to come up with ways to make a return on that investment of 9 billion. They have full control over skype and can do anything they want with it. Although its not to say that they would make things worse for it since its clearly in their best interests to keep their users happy.

However its just simply corporate speak and nonsense about how management and service will stay the same. In the short term yes, however in the long term its never the case.

[Infidelitas]

Im not fussed about skype, I have it but I dont use it. I'd rather use MSN

[Taylorxbox]

I like Microsoft and Skype. I just hope they dont change anything much. But like Commander said, they will use it to be able to expand their "network" like xbox live. Skype is the only program I like, the rest are junk in my mind.

[CantLiveWithoutYou]

They haven't been doing much lately... After windows 7 and the zuneHD, they just kinda fucked off and started playing with their dicks. If they DO come out with the ZuneHD2 it'll help them a bit, if they come out with Windows 8, it'll help them a LOT.