Skype Acquired By Microsoft for $8.5 Billion Dollars

[dgstorm]

Even though this isn't directly Android related, it will potentially affect Android users in a big way. Today it has been officially announced that Microsoft purchased Skype for $8.5 Billion dollars. The Redmond based super-corp has promised that they will continue to develop Skype for "other platforms" besides just their own, but we will have to wait and see to what degree. Here's a quote from the press release,

Skype will support Microsoft devices like Xbox and Kinect, Windows Phone and a wide array of Windows devices, and Microsoft will connect Skype users with Lync, Outlook, Xbox Live and other communities. Microsoft will continue to invest in and support Skype clients on non-Microsoft platforms.

You can read the full press release at the link below. This doesn't seem like very good news to me. What do you guys think?

Source: Android.net via Microsoft Full Press Release - Microsoft Acquires Skype for $8.5 Billion Dollars

 

[jodyberry]

WOW!! Didn't think a single app could be worth Billions!! Millions maybe.

 

[music life]

skype is alot bigger than just an app

 

[Beardface]

Nope, doesn't seem good to me, either

Would not be surprised to see Microsoft completely eliminate Skype for Android altogether to make their Windows Phone more attractive. Either that, or it will be a free app and service with Windows Phones but will be a paid app with a monthly subscription for anything else.

 

[evan2001]

This will not be good for non-win people (like us).

 

[leland_7]

Microsoft has a long record of buying great companies and running them into the ground. Not good for the end user at all.

 

[sidsixseven]

Nope, doesn't seem good to me, either

Would not be surprised to see Microsoft completely eliminate Skype for Android altogether to make their Windows Phone more attractive. Either that, or it will be a free app and service with Windows Phones but will be a paid app with a monthly subscription for anything else.

I wouldn't be so doom and gloomy. Microsoft has a long history of investing in other platforms. Microsoft Office for Mac was the #1 selling software application for Apple through the 90s. It's about diversification and control.

If you are going to offer a "communication" service, it only makes sense to want that service available on as many devices as possible. By doing that, you strengthen your overall position on your own devices. Or put another way, if your communication service is only available to 60% of the market, then you are going to lose customers to whatever service offers it to 100% of the market. Would you use a telephone that couldn't make calls to 40% of the people with phones? No.

As I see it, this purchase is BECAUSE Skype is platform agnostic and BECAUSE the brand is already so well established on the consumer market. That's the only reason such a purchase makes sense.

Sent from my ADR6400L using Tapatalk

 

[volando]

So what's the new default voip replacement for Android? Fring? Some new Google product? What are the guesses...

 

[czerdrill]

Microsoft has a long record of buying great companies and running them into the ground. Not good for the end user at all.

Like what?

 

[jimboman]

Nope, doesn't seem good to me, either

Would not be surprised to see Microsoft completely eliminate Skype for Android altogether to make their Windows Phone more attractive. Either that, or it will be a free app and service with Windows Phones but will be a paid app with a monthly subscription for anything else.

Advertising dollars alone will prevent that from ever happenning...

 

[UNC]

Microsoft has a long record of buying great companies and running them into the ground. Not good for the end user at all.

Like what?

Because he said so of course!!! When talking about MS and Apple, facts aren't needed, opinion alone is important... You should know that by now Czerdrill, me and you have been fighting peoples preconceived notions for awhile now.

 

[Alastrionia]

Curious where Google and Facebook stood in all of this.
Just a few days ago they were reported as looking to buy
then suddenly MS swoops in and takes it away from them.

going to be interesting to see if there will be different versions of this
one tailored to MS phones , and another tailored to everyone else
will "special" features be left out when it comes to the rest of the world?

 

[jaycemiskel]

Curious where Google and Facebook stood in all of this.
Just a few days ago they were reported as looking to buy
then suddenly MS swoops in and takes it away from them.

going to be interesting to see if there will be different versions of this
one tailored to MS phones , and another tailored to everyone else
will "special" features be left out when it comes to the rest of the world?

Apparently they stood on the losing end lol

Sent from my DROID2 using Tapatalk

 

[leland_7]

Microsoft has a long record of buying great companies and running them into the ground. Not good for the end user at all.

Like what?

This should help:
Microsoft: The 15 Biggest Acquisitions And What Happened To Them

This isn't to say they don't make money. Obviously they do. And, this isn't to say that someone shouldn't sell their company to Microsoft for a S***-ton of money. (I sure would) But, the whole premise for an acquisition is to make money and not to improve usability. This is why I say the end user hurts in these situations. An acquisition could mean they'll look to integrate the product through licensing or... it could mean they'll tank it to push existing product. You typically see this with smaller companies and I highly doubt they'll tank skype but time will tell just how beneficial this will be for "us".

 

[leland_7]

Microsoft has a long record of buying great companies and running them into the ground. Not good for the end user at all.

Like what?

Because he said so of course!!! When talking about MS and Apple, facts aren't needed, opinion alone is important... You should know that by now Czerdrill, me and you have been fighting peoples preconceived notions for awhile now.

I did say so. And what do you know... there are facts to back up my (and many others) concern.