Microsoft Buys Skype For $8.5 Billion In Cash

Microsoft Corp. was close to a deal to buy Internet phone company Skype Technologies SA for between $7 billion and $8 billion—the most aggressive move yet by Microsoft to play in the increasingly-converged worlds of communication, information and entertainment.

The deal is done. Microsoft is buying Skype for $8.5 billion in cash in its first sizeable acquisition since August 2008, when the Redmond software giant spent $486 million on Greenfield Online.

In fact, this is Microsoft’s biggest financial bet to date in terms of M&A, trumping its $6 billion+ purchase of aQuantive, which dates back to May 2007, in size.

The purchase price includes the assumption of Skype’s debt.

Read TechCrunch.com

 

Is this news authentic? Hope this is true? anyways let me check the site myself. I don't even know if this deal is good or not.

 

looks authentic many news sites reporting the same woo thats one large amount

 

The news is 100% confirmed.

http://www.nasdaq.com/aspx/company-...microsofts-acquisition-of-skype#ixzz1LxylQAfR

 

That is just crazy. I thought 2.6 billion from Ebay was too much. Not to mention Google bought YouTube for 1.6 billion...

 

i am sure microsoft has some good plans on how to go with skype think if skype came installed with windows lets see what happens

 

That's a sizable purchase. Just a little out of my price range. Barely...

 

Hmm.. not sure I like this..

what they've done to Windows Live Messenger/MSN Messenger over the past few years have made myself along with a lot of friends and family move to other IM programs that are less bulky and easier to use.

Hopefully they don't screw over Skype with the same trash.

 

Wow, that's too much money for Skype IMO considering what some other sites have sold for.

 

Thats a lot of money in cash , looking for some pictures!

 

I read in the news that even Facebook wanted to buy it and Mark had a talk with them.

 

Way too much money. What they are going to do with it who knows. I wouldn't be surprised if we don't see skype installed on new windows based pc in the near future. Just like they do with internet explorer at least in the u.s. Who knows for sure though. I guess we'll just have to wait and see what happens.

 

Incredible news. Not good news for Skype. Guessing ads are going to be on video calls

 

Well it's confirm news but I don't know but it seems big question mark for Skype users and Gizmo Digit also mention about future of VOIP company Skype:
http://www.gizmodigit.com/microsoft-skype-what-does-it-mean/

For me it's pure gamble if doesn't paid off that it will bounce back to MS

 

Yea, at one point it was between Google and Facebook, Microsoft came in and closed the deal! I hope "Skype" will live on ...

 

I am thinking all the way how dis can benefit microsoft....

 

I am really surprised they bought it especially with the problem that the original owners said they still owned the code, or did this get resolved?
I think they are over paying, but then again I think with a few tweaks Skype could be hugely profitable, also it might work well with Windows Mobile 7, as long as Microsoft do it right.

 

yeah, its official, Microsoft bought Skype because the world is slowly shifting away from desktop computers and into mobile computing.

 

I guess they would buy any important online brand, just to regain their power lost over google.

 

I never expected that to happen, i didn't think Skype would sell to Microsoft!