Microsoft buys Skype, promises support for Windows Phone, Xbox and more
By Florin on 10 May 11Starting later this year, Skype will belong to Microsoft, becoming “a new business division within” the Redmond-based giant company. Yes, Microsoft has officially announced that it’s acquiring Skype for a whopping $8.5 billion in cash.
Microsoft will obviously bring Skype to its devices, including Xbox, Kinect, and Windows Phone – that’s kinda funny, since a year ago Skype said there were no plans to bring Skype mobile to Windows Phone. But, well, you never know what the future holds, right?
Microsoft also said that it will continue to support Skype applications on non-Microsoft platforms, including Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android. So if you have an iPhone or an Android smartphone and love Skype – fret not, Microsoft’s acquisition won’t take the service away from you.
“Skype is a phenomenal service that is loved by millions of people around the world. Together we will create the future of real-time communications so people can easily stay connected to family, friends, clients and colleagues anywhere in the world,” declared Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer.
Microsoft and Skype expect the acquisition to be completed before the end of 2011. To find out more about the deal, you can check out this press release.
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