Microsoft confirmed the news today that it has agreed to buy internet phone service Skype.
This will be the the company’s largest acquisition, costing the Windows maker a massive $8.5bn (£5.2bn).
Skype is one of the world’s most popular software applications for making voice calls and chat over the Internet. With a staggering 663 million users globally, the potential for advertising revenue is enormous; although it’s still unclear as to what Microsoft has planned after the takeover.
Skype CEO Tony Bates announced the news today over on the Skype blog:
The combination of Skype and Microsoft will directly benefit all of you who use Skype by ushering in a new era of generative ways for everyone to communicate.
Once the acquisition is complete, Skype will operate as a new business division of Microsoft, and I look forward to working with the team as president of Microsoft Skype to write the next chapter of the Skype story. Onwards!
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