Microsoft acquires Skype for $8.5 bln

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC9CUogd-3Bar98fDJHZoFhhZkdV5asMViPSmD4Aa3_fVLnVjvdFvaNC2Zl1F0Ngf9v17N6SoRQzo6uroFDSoAufKlF0PSLr_da_psmX8DY_x_-9VgB4qCDZLeTTwKyrkeIcWn-8HnEgM/s1600/skype.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC9CUogd-3Bar98fDJHZoFhhZkdV5asMViPSmD4Aa3_fVLnVjvdFvaNC2Zl1F0Ngf9v17N6SoRQzo6uroFDSoAufKlF0PSLr_da_psmX8DY_x_-9VgB4qCDZLeTTwKyrkeIcWn-8HnEgM/s1600/skype.jpg" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span><br /> <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 8pt;">Software giant Microsoft has bought </span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 8pt;">Internet Communications Company</span></i></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 8pt;">Skype for $8.5 billion in its largest </span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 8pt;">ever acquisition deal Photo:<o:p></o:p></span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 8pt;">©<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/002/364082311/sizes/m/in/photostream/"><span style="text-decoration: none;">flickr.com</span></a></span></i></span></div></td></tr> </tbody></table><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;"><i><br /> </i></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">MOSCOW</span></st1:city></st1:place><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"> (RIA Novosti) - Software giant Microsoft has bought Internet communications company Skype for $8.5 billion in its largest ever acquisition deal, Microsoft said on Friday.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">"Skype is a phenomenal product and brand that is loved by hundreds of millions of people around the world. We look forward to working with the Skype team to create new ways for people to stay connected to family, friends, clients and colleagues — anytime, anywhere," Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer was quoted in a statement as saying.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">Skype CEO Tony Bates will head the Skype Division in Microsoft.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">"By bringing together the best of Microsoft and the best of Skype, we are committed to empowering consumers and businesses around the globe to connect in new ways. Together, we will be able to accelerate Skype’s goal to reach one billion users daily," Bates said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">The number of registered users of Skype, founded in 2003, exceeds 500 million people, while monthly audience of the service reaches 170 million users.<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

Microsoft acquires Skype for $8.5 bln

Software giant Microsoft has bought  Internet Communications Company Skype for $8.5 billion in its largest  ever acquisition deal Photo:...

Read more »