Microsoft is set to close a deal to acquire Skype, the popular VoIP company, for as much as $7 billion dollars, according to the Wall Street Journal.
We could expect an announcement as soon as next Tuesday, although the deal is in late-stage negotiations and is not yet finalized.
After much speculation about a possible Google or Facebook purchase of Skype last week, it may come as a surprise to some that Microsoft is winning the bid, although the software megacorporation has long been included in such rumors.
eBay first acquired Skype in 2005 from the company’s founders at $2.6 billion in cash and stock. Since then, eBay have successfully monetized the service, making it an attractive, established brand for Microsoft to add to their struggling web stable.
A quick informal polling, though, indicates that this is not something consumers are looking forward to.
Another seven billion down the drain.
I’m one of the ones not looking forward to a Microsoft acquisition.
Microsoft if going to axe skype or worst not make it available for other platforms.
A deal would value Skype at about $8.5 billion and may be announced as early as today, said one of the people, who asked not to be identified because the talks are private.
The world’s biggest provider of international calls would give Microsoft access to Skype’s 663 million users as Chief Executive Officer Steve Ballmer seeks to lure Web users and narrow Google Inc. (GOOG)’s lead in Internet advertising. The acquisition may be Microsoft’s largest, dwarfing the purchase of AQuantive for about $6 billion in 2007.
What will happen when Microsoft buys Skype. A lot of new warnings: http://bit.ly/jaEn7v
@jon Same: the idea of it scares the cr*p out of me!
If Microsoft turns Skype into a Windows-only platform, OR make the UI ugly, they are going to receive a lot of hate. And I will be among the first to shout at them!