With Microsoft’s Skype acquisition getting regulatory approval on Wednesday, users can now concentrate on anticipating how exactly they can expect Skype to work with their communication needs.
The place where Skype is most likely to be integrated is Lync, the unified communications platform from Microsoft, both for the desktops as well as Windows Phone handsets.
Lync is already integrated well with the AOL, Yahoo and Windows Live IM. Once Skype and Lync join forces, users would be able to communicate easily with voice, video, screen sharing and text communications. Overall, Microsoft is more interested in creating a large public network which will give rich communication experience to the users.
The technology used by Skype is also interesting since it uses peer to peer (one device to another) method to relay data traffic for calls. There are some suggestions to add Skype as part of the Windows Phone operating system instead of using it as an App in the phones. Just like Apple’s FaceTime, Microsoft may also want its users to start video calls on Skype without opening a separate app.
The only challenge will be placating the carriers since they don’t like apps or facilities with Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) calling.
Microsoft has not been able to begin integration yet as the regulatory approvals was not in place. One way in which the company may use Skype is to connect the entire customer base of Lync with the Public Switched Telephone Network. The codes on which Lync and Skype are built are entirely different, and it may be difficult merging the two. But then Microsoft is more interested in getting the huge user base of Skype and not necessarily the code base also.