Time and again; Facebook and Google are again gearing up for a head-to-head battle. This time it is Skype who is at the centre of attraction for both the companies. Two separate reliable sources have confirmed that Mark Zuckerberg and Google both are deeply involved in the discussion with Luxembourg-based company to have ‘significant say’ over its services – either by buyout or joint venture, according to Reuters.
Efforts for possible “tie-ups” were initiated after Skype’s new CEO decided to delay its IPO for the second half of 2011. Originally, the company was set to raise around $1 billion through the IPO scheduled in early this year. With the latest development, speculations are being made that Skype has been offered somewhere between $3 billion to $4 billion, confirmed by sources with the condition of being unnamed.
However, it’s still unclear whether Skype will adopt buyout or Join Venture. At the same time, Skype has kept its original option – going for an IPO – open. While Google has declined to comment on new development, Facebook was not ready to avail to comment.
So, why so much excitement and desperation for Skype especially by Facebook and Google ? Google is pouring in mobile phone market with Android and Facebook phone is on its way. The “communication” has become a major aspect for both the companies and being completely software driven platform, Skype integration will be seamless and much more productive for Google as well as for Facebook. There are many more features, like IP based video conference and video chat, where Skype adds much value. And for Google Android, it will the best bet to pull down its arch rival – iPhone.
Even for Skype, despite being a dominant force in Internet telephony over the years, it needs to embrace newer forms of communication such as Facebook, Twitter or any other prominent social media platform.
If the possible tie-ups take shape by any of the ways, one this is certain – a new form communication which will overwhelm the combined experience of social media, IP based visual chat and mobile.
We are keeping a close eye on related development and shall keep you posted further moves by any of the companies in-lined with this. In the mean time, we would like to know from our readers their stand and vies about “possible” tie-up.
