Microsoft acquire Skype for $8.5 billion, is that good or bad?
After Microsoft announcement of Skype expensive acquisition, Facebook become very nervous because they lose opportunity to buy Skype and become the biggest VOIP leader – integrating the famous Skype with it’s more than a 500 million users worldwide.
This deal caused a huge shock in many circles. How this acquisition will affect the more than 170 million Skype users around the globe?
Microsoft says that 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. Also, “Microsoft will continue to invest in and support Skype clients on non-Microsoft platforms,” the company asserted. Currently, there are Skype apps for Linux, Windows and Mac OS X along with Android, Blackberry, iOS and Symbian devices. But we doubt that. Oracle announced the similar when acquire Sun Microsystems, but the situation now is ultimate detriment of many of Sun’s open source assets, including OpenSolaris and OpenOffice.org.
Looking at the Microsoft’s track record, it is very difficult to believe that it will invest any resources in maintaining Skype for competing platforms – particular Linux and Android. The company has a long history of proclaiming its “love” for open source products while simultaneously fighting to eliminate open source community. Also, Microsoft treats the non Windows communities as a least-favored nations. There are examples – most versions of Office for Mac have lagged behind the Windows counterparts, including some dramatic functional lapses like when Microsoft killed the ability to use Visual Basic macros in Office 2008, and then later restored that functionality in Office 2011.
So what we gonna do? The answer is Skype Alternatives. While Microsoft may keep Skype alive on other platforms for a limited time, the good news is, there are alternatives, and they’ll surely receive a boost from this new deal. Here are just a few contenders.
- Exiga
- Empathy
- Blink
- Linphone – Works on many platforms including Android, iPhone and Blackberry
- FaceTime – only on Mac
Yes, it’s good! I’m looking forward for Skype’s deep integration in Windows phone devicessuch as apple’s face time but its such a waste Facebook doesn’t incorporate it in their network. Its would be totally cool to chat with friends like that, I mean Skype is pretty nice and idiot friendly. Nevertheless I’m looking forward for MS innovation.
$8.5 billion, is a lot of money! and I really don’t understand why Microsoft made this aquisition.
A plus for Windows Phone? Sorry, I don’t think people will buy a MS phone for that!
Skype is not a true “Social Network” and people won’t use a Phone service as a Social Nerwork.
e.g. people are still searching videos typing “Youtube” in Google skipping the “Video” Tab in Google….
And what will be with Windows Live Messenger aka MSN messenger?
(
death?
I Think that MSN is dead from many years.