Skype and eBay join forces
The rumors are over. This just got announced. To celebrate the event, go ahead and download the latest stable public version of Skype. See also eBay’s webcast and other info from their events page.
Below is a letter from Niklas and Janus about the occasion.
Hello,
When Janus and I originally created Skype, we had a vision of creating the world’s largest communications company to revolutionise the way everyone communicates through the internet.
We believed that voice is the most natural way for people to communicate and that making it widely and easily available would be a major step forward in Internet communications. We also thought that as the Internet grew, there was no reason why everyone in world shouldn’t be able to talk for free.
We set out to build software which was not just powerful but also incredibly easy to install and use. Janus and I wanted to make something which would make talking on the Internet the simplest and most natural thing in the world.
We are now working with an amazing dedicated and talented team of people across the world to deliver on this vision. Skype people are now in 15 countries, from 27 nationalities and everyday we wake up and think about one thing — how can we make voice the most natural form of Internet communication.
It seems to have caught on.
In only two years, we have been fortunate to have experienced spectacular growth. There are now over 54 million people using Skype to talk for free to families, friends and colleagues in 225 countries and territories around the world — everyday another 150,000 new people sign up to join in. We also have a fantastic and fast-growing network of thousands of partners and developers building exciting hardware and software products, as well services around the Skype experience.
Now today we are thrilled to be joining forces with Meg Whitman and the fantastic team at eBay to help us deliver on our vision and help make Skype the voice of the Internet. Working with eBay and Paypal — two of the greatest brands on the Internet — we can’t think of any more powerful platforms to accelerate our growth.
We want to take this opportunity to thank every one of you who has contributed so far to the growth of Skype. But let’s remember, we’ve only just begun to write the story of becoming the voice of the Internet.
We are totally motivated for now and the next several years to continue all this great work and to try to exceed all of your expectations and more. We have some great ideas about what happens in the next chapter and think we have some powerful friends to help us realize our dreams. We can’t wait to work with you all in writing the next chapter and together make it possible for the whole world to talk for free.
Thanks again, all our best
Niklas and Janus
does this work also for mac?? i can’t download it…
No more versions for Gnu/linux and MAC??… only for Windows.
ebay take my personal information??
ebay change the interface on SKYPE? put spam? or publicity??
that to say good bye to skype?… hello Openwengo?? or GoogleTalk???
Congratulations….. even those who think you sold out are probably just jealous…especially if you sold for the amount I read in the previous comments…..
However, one contact suggested that with Ebay at the helm the service won’t be free for long. Is there any truth to that statement or will skype continue with the same or improved service?
Also have you been banned in China? This info just came in from Singapore. Is this a rumour?
I’m using Skype for 1.5 years for now and I love it. You helped me to save a lot of money and I could stay close with my family and friends despite the distance. Unfortunately, everything comes to end. This deal will kill everything you’ve achieved. It’s a really bad news for us consumers.
We’re working to finish up the Mac and Linux version soon. Check our website for updates and thanks for your interest in the Mac version!
Too bad I agree with most of the comments on here about you selling out to the “big boys”. I use SkyeOut regualrly here in the UK to call my friend in Dubai on his mobile. The cheap SkpeOut rates put the UK telcos to shame. Unfortunately I can’t see this continuing under the hands of eBay. As soon as the rates go up or the ads start to appear, I’m off to find a better and cheaper alternative. In my experience there is always one out there who hasn’t yet been tempted by the hand of capitalism! I can’t see it being the end of Skype but the techno savey amongst us who know where to look will leave Skype to those who know no better to frequent instead.
I’ve been, as most of us, an enthusiastic Skype user and promoter of it for a short while. I just happen love it. I’m glad for Niklas and Janus for this success on selling Skype for a huge ammount of money. It’s so much money, that they’ll need some family generations to finish it.
The sad part: I think now Skype will die, since e-bay is more interested in making money than in communicating people. It’s not a bad thing, of course, but it’s not the same vision Skype creators had.
Pity. I hope it won’t be like that, but I’m almost sure it will.
i’m using Skype to talk to my family all over the world. I hope this merging with ebay won’t destroy great thing like skype.
Good work guys, congratulations!
Are you still continuing to develop Skype? What about the new stuff you announced earlier this autumn? How about, for example, SkypeWeb??
QuickBit Ltd.
http://www.quickbit.fi
Bonjour,
Les francophones qui ont du mal avec la langue de Shakespeare, trouveront la traduction de cette lettre sur le Portail Skype France:
http://telecharger-skype-fr.com/
Congratulations
You to did a GOOD jod there my friend
Hope to see you soon
DYTAND78
Denmark
Let’s see if ebay still feel like they made a great deal, once the local telco’s start using this product: http://www.verso.com/news/article.asp?ID=296
Will the free ride end sooner than we hoped???
A sad day for Skype customers, the point of Skype software is to avoid the mega bucks corporates and rebel, that is why I use it. Now it will be about money and it will never be free as was the vision, the plan and the dream.
Good luck you guys, but I guarantee the next ‘internet success’ will be based on something FREE
Dear Niklas and Janus, I also think everybody around the world should be able to communicate for free with each other, and at voipbuster.com they let you even talk for free on the telephone to each other, not just p2p. So why is this not possible at skype.com????
Ebay tends to take disagreements that others have with one service, such as their Paypal System, and prevent them from using any other service they have. I was banned from eBay because I challenged Paypal’s illegal behavior, and was banned from using their Auction Service.
Does this mean that since I have had a disagreement with eBay over their illegally taking money out of a Paypal account, and translate into me no longer being able to use skype? If the past is a guide to the future, my bet is on Yes. Monopoly.
I agree wit the skeptical posts. EBay is a terrible company for its customers. You’re getting paid off with dirty cash.
Now that you’re rich, what’s next? Invest in blood diamonds?
Hope this joint will improve your shitty payment system. It’s a real pain in ass to make any payment.
Great news!
Now you need to figure out an easy way to let people buy time for skypeout without the hassle of trying to pay with moneybookers!!Otherwise this is going to create the biggest bottleneck for skype to growth in many countries!! Maybe paypal….
Congratulations man. I heard somebody just became the second richest dane. Very nice
Business like Ebay don’t understand the word “Free”.
There are other telephony services out there that will take Skype’s place… just give it time. As long as there are creative minds, there will be new services poping up.
It is a very good article, NOW, what about combining VOICE around the world with VISION, no pun, using the mechanics of both Voice and The Cam, Webcam that is. To see who you are speaking to. That would be really neat especially around the world because more and more people are getting the internet even in places like Poland, whereby otherwise they didn’t have access to til today. I just don’t know how to make use of my WEBCAM with Skype, if there is indeed a way to. Ty. Rob from USA
Skypify crashes just on loading, on my WinXP Pro SP2 in spanish, with Skype 1.4.0.56 Beta.
Contact me if i can help delivering more info.
Thanks mate! We’re aware of some issues with Skype 1.4 beta and waiting on the “official” release. If you have a bug report, please post it on our support forum (http://www.skypify.com/phpbb2) or send us an email (http://www.skypify.com/callbound/contact.php).
Lukas
Skype has been a tremendous help in promoting http://www.turtletanks.com and our innovative technology.
Thanks Skype and congrats with your new partnership!
Jim Ripley
It didn’t work for me. It crashes on loading to on my WinXP Pro SP0 (none) in Brazilian Portuguese, with Skype 1.4.0.84 (non beta, I suppose).
Congratulations on developing this product to its current status as the premium VoIP product to use.
Congratulations to eBay on your commitment to assure the further development of the product and its continuance as the market leader.
I am a Skype Pro user and have a second ID so I can call home when away using the portable (all too often) and would love to have the use of my skype credit for both plus the mobile (something like the business control panel, but more flexible).
Anyway I look forward to continuing with Skype for the forseeable future and hope with all my heart that Jaanus’ voice will be given due consideration in guiding the future development of this great product.
Also my oldest son is spending his next 2-years in P.R.China and I’d love to have a local number he can call to get hold of me.