It’s official, Microsoft has signed a deal to purchase the web-base telephony company Skype.
Microsoft will bring out ye ole’ checkbook and plunk down $8.5 Billion dollars for Skype (Ebay paid $2.6 Billion for Skype in September of 2005). What does this mean to users of Skype? Microsoft will no doubt be rolling some of Skype’s feature set into its Xbox Live service (the kinect does have a camera after all) and hopefully will keep most of the other services unchanged. I am a very active Skype user and here is my wish list: 1. Less ads for paid users. 2. No charge for group video chat up to 4 people. 3. Don’t raise prices (this one is important).
What do you think Microsoft’s plans are for Skype? Will we be appalled or pleasantly surprised?