Microsoft to Buy Skype for $8.5B

Written by Pat's Papers | Tuesday, 10 May 2011 9:15 AM

Microsoft has just secured a deal to buy Skype for the cool sum of $8.5 billion. The Seattle Times says it’s the biggest acquisition in the company’s history and is a sign that Microsoft is getting more aggressive about its foray into the tablet and smartphone business. Skype will run on Microsoft’s Xbox and Kinect game consoles, its Outlook email system and on Windows smartphones. It will still be supported on other platforms, the company said in a press release.

The Wall Street Journal says it’s likely that Microsoft will “tread carefully” while integrating Skype into its mobile devices so as not to upset cell phone providers who could be irked that customers can now make low-cost calls over the Internet via their smartphones.  The Journal says Skype will become a new business division within Microsoft helmed by the current Skype CEO, Tony Bates.

Read the press release

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