In December, Facebook unceremoniously stopped using Microsoft Bing to provide Web search results on its social network. Microsoft and Facebook have a long history together - Microsoft in 2007 invested $240 million in what was at the time a promising young social networking company. Now that Facebook is a tech behemoth in its own right, it no longer needs to rely on others for technology such as search and voice calling. #Skype sign in facebook account installĪnd keeping things in-house gives Facebook more control.įor its part, Microsoft declined to comment on the end of its Skype deal with Facebook.Skype filed for an IPO last August, but the company has reportedly delayed it until the second half of this year to let new CEO Tony Bates find his footing. Skype also recently brought video chat to its iPhone app, while Skype video chat on Android phones is limited to only a few devices. In the long run, Google may have more to gain from a relationship with Skype, especially as it’s attempting to take on the iPhone’s FaceTime video chat with Google Talk on Android phones.
That’s a feature already offered inside of Gmail with Google Talk, but it’s not difficult to imagine how Google could take advantage of Skype’s massive user base and brand recognition with a joint venture.
A further deal with Skype could bring the service directly into Facebook so that users can call their contacts without leaving the web browser. Last fall, Skype added the ability to log-in with Facebook Connect, which made it easier for users to call and video chat with their Facebook friends. But with dozens of reports about Google and other companies trying (and failing) to buy Skype over the past few years, it’s difficult to tell if things will be any different this time around.Ī Skype deal could be valued between $3 billion and $4 billion, while the company expects to raise around $1 billion from its IPO, the sources say.
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