Microsoft decided to acquire Skype, Skype can operate on Xbox etc.

SkypeHas achieved voice chat and video conversation of more than 207 billion minutes in 2010, 170 million users in 2010, finally Microsoft's acquisition at $ 8.5 billion (about 685.9 billion yen) at the end of the board of directors' meeting It was decided by.

Details on what will happen in the future are as follows.
Microsoft to Acquire Skype: Combined companies will benefit consumers, businesses and increase market opportunity.


First of all, this alliance will enable Microsoft to use Skype on the corporate communications platform "Lync".

Microsoft Lync: Microsoft unified communications that connects with anyone, from anywhere, anytime


Next Generation Unified Communications Platform - Microsoft Lync


XNEWS :: Microsoft announces Lync 2010, a communication platform for enterprises, Kinect also supports

By linking with video Kinect, communication between "(Office room) conference room and living room" is realized. Gurdeep Singh Paul, senior vice president of Microsoft Lync says, "Lync realized the link between the living room scenario and the work scenario, which I call this a dad and child scenario." .

Currently Kinect does not support Lync, but will be updated in the future.

In video chat "Video Kinect" using Kinect, video chat with Windows Live Messenger users has already been realized.

This Lync also considers cooperation with Windows Live Messenger and Kinect, and has already pushed up Microsoft's revenue by 30%.

Ultimately, realize real-time communication and real-time voice call using Skype respectively between Outlook, Messenger, Hotmail, and Xbox LIVE, and each community, call by a combination of Xbox and Kinect, call by Windows Phone, various It seems that it will support calling by various kinds of devices equipped with various types of Windows.

This means that the user communities of Lync, Outlook, and Xbox Live and the existing Skype user community are connected and made mutually available.

Of course this does not mean that Skype will be exclusive to Windows, we are committed to continue to support non-Windows platforms.


According to Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, "Skype is a phenomenal service loved by millions of people all over the world." "People can easily stay in the world, family, friends, colleagues and colleagues anywhere in the world We will make the future of real-time communication so that we can keep connected. "

In addition, Skype will become a new business division within Microsoft and Tony Bates, the current Skype CEO, will get the title of the president of the Microsoft Skype division. "Microsoft and Skype share a vision of software innovation and bringing our products to our customers," Tony Bates said, "In addition to Microsoft, we have created Skype's international community We will be able to accelerate Skype's plan to expand and expand it and communicate with anyone and introduce a new way to collaborate. "

Perhaps this partnership seems to make it possible for Skype to advance into the corporate sector, which was a wishful desire, making it even easier to monetize. Because Microsoft has a side of fact that it is actually very strong with regard to corporations by Office products, and by further combining various know-how and products for corporate customers already secured with Skype, further expansion of their products As it becomes possible, it will be possible to use viewing for corporate use from the use for individual until now if it sees Skype side, so it is certainly said that profit is great for both sides.


Especially the fact that Skype works with Xbox is a big point, and even though it existed in the smartphone field for a long time, it has been undumped by Apple's iPhone and is also being crooked by Google's Android For Microsoft, integrating Windows Phone and Skype perfectly and coordinating it can be a huge benefit. Also, it is certain that it will be unnecessary to combine Windows Live Messenger with Skype, and it is quite powerful to be able to talk on Xbox, smartphone, Window anywhere with only that account Yes, regardless of the individual corporation for the user, it is certainly attractive.


Alternatively, something beyond integration with Microsoft products as mentioned here may actually be planned ... ...