What’s Skype Now?

By Mark Evans
Contributing Writer, RealTechNews

Anyone know what Skype has become now that it’s part of eBay? I think a lot of people would like some insight but little has trickled since the $2.6-billion - or it is $4.1-billion? - acquisition was unveiled in September. I got an e-mail last week from Henry Gomez about his new job as Skype’s North American general manager - along with an invitation to contact him if I had any questions. Naturally, I took him up on the offer but didn’t get a reply so I pinged him again. His response was intriguing because he suggested from reading my blog “one gets the impression you think Skype is dead”. I do not believe Skype is dead, although my recent posts have been far from encouraging or positive about Skype’s prospects. What puzzles me is eBay’s unwillingness or inability to articulate how Skype fits into the bigger strategic picture. There have been some signs of integration such as Dutch auction site marktplaats.nl but I haven’t come across a firm statement from eBay on how it is going to capitalize on Skype’s technology and large user base.

We Say: It’s probably time for eBay CEO Meg Whitman to give us a Skype-of-the-Union Address to give everyone a better sense of where Skype fits into the strategic scheme of things.

For more thoughts about the mysterious eBay-Skype marriage, click here.