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Skype is officially now a Microsoft division

Skype is officially now part of Microsoft, as of October 13, with the closing of the $8.5 billion acquisition.
Written by Mary Jo Foley, Senior Contributing Editor

On October 13, Skype became an official Microsoft division, with the closing of the Microsoft acquisition of the company.

Microsoft isn't sharing any new information about its plans for Skype or a timetable for when Skype will be integrated with products and services. Microsoft officials said previously that Skype will be integrated into everything from Xbox Live and Windows Phone, to Office and its Lync unified communications offering. I'll be interested to see how Microsoft ties Bing and Skype together, as well.

Microsoft is pledging to continue to make Skype available for non-Microsoft products, including iPads, iPhones, Android phones, Mac OS X and more. As WinRumors noted on October 14, Skype did just remove Google toolbar distribution from the latest version of Skype for Windows, however.

Microsoft announced in May 2011 that it would pay $8.5 billion to acquire Skype. U.S. antitrust authorities approved the transaction in June 2011. The European antitrust authorities approved it on October 7, 2011.

Skype will operate as a separate Microsoft division headed by now-Microsoft-president Tony Bates.

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