Tuesday, May 10th 2011
Microsoft to Acquire Skype for Over $8 billion
In what is turning out to be the mother of all tech acquisitions, Microsoft is working towards acquiring IP telephony giant Skype Technologies for nearly US $8 billion, the deal could be announced later today, according to the Wall Street Journal. The Skype acquisition will give Microsoft increased traction in the consumer market, as part of the company's efforts to provide more web-based convergence services. The deal could be the most significant development after Bing, a polished successor of MSN Search.
Skype is the company that propagated web-based telephony, which threatened to make conventional telephony obsolete. Founded in 2003, the company has 663 million registered users, including 8.8 million with paid accounts. In 2005, it was sold to Ebay for $2.6 billion, after which Ebay sold 70% of its shares to private investors by 2009. Microsoft is in the foray to acquire the company and its debt in a deal that can see up to $8.5 billion changing hands.
Source:
Wall Street Journal
Skype is the company that propagated web-based telephony, which threatened to make conventional telephony obsolete. Founded in 2003, the company has 663 million registered users, including 8.8 million with paid accounts. In 2005, it was sold to Ebay for $2.6 billion, after which Ebay sold 70% of its shares to private investors by 2009. Microsoft is in the foray to acquire the company and its debt in a deal that can see up to $8.5 billion changing hands.
39 Comments on Microsoft to Acquire Skype for Over $8 billion
You know MS is going to screw shit all up :rolleyes:
Do keep in mind all the other stuff MS has bought that they ran into the ground.
cause I don't know why the OS takes 20 gb when a os on 4 just does the same, and works better while doing it.
This is just a step towards making wph7 sell, I doubt it will, cause its just horrible to use and people doesnt even want a free one... my job gives you a phone, people buy a phone instead with android, well, that just shows how wrong they went.