Friending Facebook

Emil Protalinski
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Rumor: Facebook resumes talks with Skype

By | March 6, 2011, 2:27pm PST

Summary: Facebook and Skype are reportedly once again discussing the possibility of integrating the VoIP service into the social network.

You may soon be able to start a Skype video call with your friends on Facebook. The latest rumor suggests that Facebook and Skype have resumed talks about integrating the video conferencing technology on the social network.

The two companies first talked about a potential partnership in September 2010, but they could not reach an agreement, according to “two people familiar with the discussions” cited by Bloomberg. When Skype 5.0 was released in October 2010, the new version offered voice calling between Facebook friends, but it did not include a video chatting feature.

The integration was a one-way road: only Skype added some Facebook features to its client. If Facebook were to integrate the VoIP service on its website and its mobile apps however, the social network would suddenly be competing with many services that offer video calling, including Google’s Gmail and Apple’s FaceTime.

What makes a potential deal even more interesting is that Skype now has group video calling that allows 10 people to videoconference together. Unfortunately, the feature is only available as part of the Premium package, which offers group video calling together with access to live chat customer support, but sets you back $4.99/€3.49/£2.99 per day or $8.99/€5.99/£4.99 per month. Still, if this option was available via Facebook, it could make Skype very popular amongst the social network’s 600 million users.

Unsurprisingly, Skype did not respond for a request to comment and Facebook was not particularly helpful. “Last year we announced the integration of Facebook in Skype, so people can keep up to date with their Facebook friends through News Feed in Skype and even call and SMS their Facebook friends on any phone from Skype,” a Facebook spokesperson said in a statement. “With regards to any further integration, we don’t comment on rumor and speculation and have nothing to announce at this time.”

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Facebook, Video Call, Skype Technologies S.A., Social Networking, Corporate Communications, Online Communications, Marketing, Advertising & Promotion, Emil Protalinski

Emil Protalinski has covered the tech industry for five years for multiple publications.

Disclosure

Emil Protalinski

Emil has nothing to disclose.

Biography

Emil Protalinski

Emil Protalinski has covered the tech industry for five years for multiple publications, including Neowin for two years and Ars Technica for three years. He has written 1,000s of articles for both, with a particular focus on scrutinizing Microsoft products and services. Recently, Emil has expanded his coverage to non-Microsoft technologies, including the social networking giant Facebook.

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Well facebook need Skype more than Skype need Facebook.

And Facebook need Skype before Google decides its serious about Social networking.

The two make a perfect couple but sometime even perfect couples do not work well together.
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RE: Rumor: Facebook resumes talks with Skype
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