However, Facebook's lack of video calling technology means that it is best placed to benefit from such a takeover.

Ebay could clearly have leveraged and integrated the platform to greater effect, and Google could equally have shown an interest alongside Facebook. Google and Ebay miss an opportunity - Google and Ebay have almost certainly missed an opportunity here, the former because the opportunity to take Skype would have given Google dominance in an industry where Google Talk has achieved debatable success, and the latter because they opted to sell the majority of shares in Skype having bought it in 2005. As such, it's unlikely that Facebook would rebrand the new asset, but it will almost certainly look to make the most of its dominance in the video calling business. Skype would potentially bring a revolution in Facebook's own chat functionality, as well as the introduction of VoIP and video calling using Skype's technology on the Facebook platform.įacebook owns the VoIP video space - The popularity of Skype is almost unrivalled in terms of the VoIP and video calling space, proven by the fact that it's name is practically a verb 'to Skype' and it cannot be far away from a dictionary entry. Below are a few of my own conclusions that I think we can draw if any deal is to be completed.įacebook gains VoIP video capabilities and a more robust chat mechanic - A Skype takeover would result in Facebook effectively purchasing its own VoIP video capability, as well as a chat platform that is better than the one it currently uses.

Having thought about this potential deal, there are obviously a number of questions raised as to how this will change both the two parties involved and social media as a whole.

Speaking as someone from a digital PR background who uses Skype a great deal, it's interesting to see Facebook take an interest in a service that hasn't just become a key way for people to keep in touch, but also a key way of people networking and doing business. Facebook's mooted deal to buy and take over Skype in the near future has the potential to shake up the video and chat elements of social media in a big way.

Skype sign in facebook