Re: Skype takes Microsoft to the living rooms
Broadway
5/11/2011 9:37:49 PM
There's something to be said for buying something now under the assumption that you're smart enough to figure out what to do with it later, right? Just listening to Balmer gives me that gut impression.
Two interesting stories I came across today: one warning skype customers to expect more ads coming soon. The other from an analyst who said that there were no other legitimate buyers... So if MSFT bought for defense, they might have been duped.
Re: Skype takes Microsoft to the living rooms
tokyogai
5/11/2011 4:36:58 PM
If you listen the what Balmer had to say, he kept using the word startegic without any business case put forward. Having lots of customers that don't pay anything is not easy to build a business case on.
Re: Skype takes Microsoft to the living rooms
homerun
5/11/2011 4:20:34 PM
Even though Microsoft is sitting on hordes of cash, 8.5 billion is not exactly chump change to throw away on useless application or to keep competitors from getting it. I find it hard to believe that Microsoft could have made the decision to buy Skype without a solid business case on how to monetize the investment. But then again maybe I think differently from the highly paid strategic decision makers who make millions in compensation… J
Re: Skype takes Microsoft to the living rooms
TelecomFreq
5/11/2011 4:00:25 PM
I would say that all your points are right on; however, i fear that microsoft will not be able to keep the buzz around Skype that it has had in the past. My biggest fear is that Skype will be lost in the vast forest of MS products, I think MS still has a long way to go before they are operating in a way that would allow them to get the most out of this....
Re: Skype takes Microsoft to the living rooms
ProfR
5/11/2011 3:23:30 PM
Most analysts think this acquisition was defensive rather than offensive. Microsoft already had a lot of the technology and products to do this. However, I think with Skype they get a customers base and probably some innovative people who can help them move foreword faster in this space. They also get a relationship with Android and this should be interesting.
Skype takes Microsoft to the living rooms
homerun
5/11/2011 1:30:39 PM
Skype can help bridge the gap between Microsoft and several consumer electronics manufacturer. TV manufacturers such as Samsung and Panasonic has introduced Skype capabilities on their HDTV models as early as last year, now Sony has joined the bandwagon. Sony TVs that are connected to the internet enables Skyping functionality on the Bravia Internet TV portal. Logitech TV Cam offers Skype video conferencing with Panasonic TV sets. Skype is the cheapest and easiest video conferencing option, which will likely require the least amount of new equipment. This will help Microsoft better compete with Google (Google Talk) and Apple which also offers video chatting for its MacBooks and iMacs.
so much for Skype
Scott
5/11/2011 10:31:13 AM
Looking forward to MS ruining Skype, as MS inevitably will, so that an even better form of communication comes along. This seems to be the cycle: Entrepreneur creates new product/service, entrepreneur gets investors, investors cash out to some big company that has no idea what it's buying, big company slowly destroys the product/service while another entrepreneur fills the void. I wish it was more like building on the shoulders of others but it's more like standing on their bones.
Re: Worth $8.5B?
ProfR
5/11/2011 10:31:09 AM
It will be interesting to see how Microsoft re-energises their smartphone business. Apple will hold its own because of the great way it packages end to end, its growing applications list and its very good ease of use. Android seems to be growing the fastest. If Android can continue to grow their marketplace for applications and fix some of the issues like security, they will continue to grow. Nokia has not done well recently versus Apple and others like Samsung. So will be interesting to see this play out for Microsoft.
The latest projection for 2015 is by Pyramid Research, which projects Windows Phone will be the leading platform in 2015. IDC released a similar projection in late March, which had Windows Phone second to Android. Pyramid Research sees Android in the lead for a few years, but thinks the Microsoft platform will surge ahead by 2015, aided by the Nokia partnership.
Re: Worth $8.5B?
AskAsa
5/11/2011 9:29:04 AM
I'm intrigued by the forecast that Windows Phones are gaining so much market share. Do you know more about that research?
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