Microsoft has today confirmed they are buying the internet phone service, Skype, for a staggering $8.5bn.
Ebay bought Skype in 2006 for $2.6bn and three years later sold the 70% of the stake to Silver Lake and Andreessen Horowit, both private equity firms, as well as technology company Joltid and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board.
The Chief Executive of of Microsoft, Steve Ballmer, stated;
“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.”
Microsoft are likely to target the tablet market making its next big step integrating Skype into Windows 8. Microsoft are also very likely to improve their video conferencing services with its acquisition of Skype.
Is $8.5bn too much though? Skype was valued at $2.5bn 18 months ago and many will question that Microsoft have paid above beyond the worth of the Luxembourg based firm.
LifeSize are a partner of Microsoft and Skype, and with Skype being interoperbale with LizeSize video conferencing equipment it is likely to boost the popularity of the LifeSize brand.
