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Microsoft to Acquire Skype for $8.5 Billion

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083144 msskype

Rumors of the acquisition broke last night, and this morning Microsoft has confirmed that they are acquiring Skype for $8.5 billion.

Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq: MSFT) and Skype Global S. r.l today announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement under which Microsoft will acquire Skype, the leading Internet communications company, for $8.5 billion in cash from the investor group led by Silver Lake. The agreement has been approved by the boards of directors of both Microsoft and Skype.

Skype is the popular voice over internet service that also offers a Mac and iOS App version.

Microsoft reports that Skype will support Microsoft devices like Xbox and Kinect, Windows Phone and a wide array of Windows devices, and Microsoft will connect Skype users with Lync, Outlook, Xbox Live and other communities. The press release also states that they will continue to invest in and support Skype clients on non-Microsoft platforms.

Top Rated Comments

AtHomeBoy_2000 Avatar
AtHomeBoy_2000
194 months ago
$8.5 billion?????
MacRumors content image
Score: 28 Votes (Like | Disagree)
fungus Avatar
fungus
194 months ago
And you thought the Skype 5 update for Mac was a step backward... :rolleyes:
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
M
millerb7
194 months ago
Thank god the world ends in 2012.... doesn't leave Microsoft enough time to screw this up!
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
840quadra Avatar
840quadra
194 months ago
So is this going to become a pay service now, and require us to enter complicated license keys every time we try to call someone?

A7BQT IDONT L1K3 53R1AL C0D35


I am kidding. But, hopefully Microsoft can actually improve Skype going forward. Perhaps some Competition for Google Voice.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
roadbloc Avatar
roadbloc
194 months ago
So then was Bill Gates using it wrong?

Bill Gates - Windows Media Center Blooper
//www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gtYoPGvcFI&feature=related

Bill Gates, Windows 98 Blue Screen of Death
//www.youtube.com/watch?v=IW7Rqwwth84


How about all the people in these videos?

Windows 7 Crashes On Live TV
//www.youtube.com/watch?v=4p_q9sh95pw&feature=related

Windows 7 Blue Screen of Death
//www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vUqiIzifko


Is the guy in Japan pressing the icon on the desktop of a touch-based Windows 7 PC touching it wrong? Is it a "bad touch? :rolleyes:

Yeah, because every single demo of every Apple product has gone flawlessly well. :rolleyes:
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
glossywhite Avatar
glossywhite
194 months ago
Most of you critics would be praising this deal if it was Apple making the acquisition.
Don't be doing irrational things like speaking the truth, or the fanboys will vote you down... oh look, they already have.

Fwiw, I agree with you. Apple does not rule the world, and, tbh, they're becoming quite boring and predictable.

[edit]

Ironically, people in apple circles are always waffling on about how so-and-so copied this, that or the other from the mighty apple, and yet look - MR has "copied" (?) the digg vote up/down feature.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
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