Midweek Rumor: Google To Buy Skype
Rumor has it on the Internet that eBay is trying to sell Skype to none other than Google -- even though the service proved to be quite a cash cow in 2008. With eBay reporting a downfall in revenue and Google still going strong, this rumor might actually have some substance.
Four years after buying Skype for US$2.6 billion, eBay still couldn't find a reasonable way to integrate the telephony service with its auction site, so various sources began speculating Skype's acquisition by search giant Google. At the same time, Skype proved to be a good standalone business, reporting a 26 percent increase in revenue last year.
Of course, nothing is official, and this rumor might never materialize. But it's quite interesting to analyze how Google could implement Skype's functionality into its products. The first thing that sprung into my mind is Google Chat, which is popular -- but mainly with Gmail users.
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