Skype voice engine powers new MySpaceIM client
They are announcing "MySpaceIM with Skype" beta tomorrow so here's the first look.
- Skype's engine will power voice calls inside the new MySpaceIM client
- Shipping in November 2007
- Windows only
- A MySpaceIM with Skype user can now Skype a Skype user without downloading Skype's client
- Skype presence will show for Skype contacts
- Voice calls will be encrypted just like Skype calls
- Privacy logic using MySpace friend lists affect who can call you, the same way they affect who can IM you
- You can buy Skype's premium calling features (SkypeIn, SkypeOut, Call Forwarding, and Voice Mail) for your MySpaceIM client
- You don't need the Skype client for the voice calls.
- You will need it for Skype's conference calling, video calls, Skype chat, multi chats, public chats, Skypecasts, Skype Prime, and secure file transfer features
- One MySpace profile maps to One Skype profile
- MySpace is promoting MySpaceIM in the control panel
Observations:
- Social media are becoming more Real Time and Real Time Media are becoming more Social (as we've been saying here on Skype Journal for years)
- Web based social networks provide triggers for conversation, and new Call Me buttons should make it much easier to act on that impulse
- MySpace will benefit from Skype's worldwide network, and Skype will benefit from MySpace's strong US presence
- Skype will benefit as people upgrade to richer Skype clients, and all premium features that live there
- As Mark Hendrikson notes, this is the first time we've seen Skype Inside another company's software
News release below...
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MYSPACE AND SKYPE ANNOUNCE PARTNERSHIP BRINGING FREE INTERNET VOICE COMMUNICATIONS TO MYSPACE GLOBAL COMMUNITY
Partnership Creates World’s Largest Online Voice-Connected Community
Beta Version of ‘MySpaceIM with Skype’ Announced Today
LOS ANGELES/LUXEMBOURG, October 17, 2007 — MySpace, the world’s most popular
social network, and Skype, the leading Internet communications company, today announced
a partnership to empower the MySpace community with voice communications. With more
than 110 million monthly active MySpace users and 220 million Skype™ registered users
around the world, this partnership connects two of the most popular communications
platforms on the Internet to create the world’s largest online, voice-connected community.
The announcement unveils MySpaceIM with Skype, a new product that integrates MySpace’s
popular IM client—currently the world’s fastest-growing IM platform with more than 25
million installed users—with Skype’s free, high-quality voice-calling capability. The
partnership will also enable users to link their MySpace profiles and photos or avatars to
their accounts on Skype. Both products will be available to users starting in November.
Launching in 20 countries where MySpace has localized communities, MySpaceIM with
Skype will enable millions of users to place free Skype Internet calls to other MySpace or
Skype users. The addition of Skype voice-calling to MySpace’s instant messaging feature
gives users more ways to easily connect with friends and family around the world, and does
not require MySpace users to download any additional Skype software.
“MySpaceIM with Skype is a truly groundbreaking product integration and partnership,” said
Chris DeWolfe, co-founder and CEO of MySpace. “Skype has the leading technology in
Internet voice communications and an enormous international user base that we’re thrilled
to connect with our existing community. Our network has no geographical boundaries—
Internet calling is the natural next step for how our members communicate with each other.”
Skype is available in 28 languages and is used in almost every country around the world.
The ability for Skype users to link their Skype accounts to their MySpace profiles will be
available globally, except in Japan, China and Taiwan. In addition to free, high-quality Skype
calling, MySpaceIM with Skype will also allow the users of the MySpace network to optionally
select Skype’s premium fee-based products, including:
- SkypeOut™ – To make calls to landlines and cell phones domestically or
internationally; - SkypeIn™ – A local phone number to receive calls wherever you are in the world from
other people on landlines or cell phones; - Voicemail – To take voice messages when you’re busy or offline; and
- Call forwarding – To redirect incoming Skype calls to a landline or cell phone.
“Both MySpace and Skype have become a part of people’s lives by bringing people closer
together, no matter where they live in the world. This partnership reiterates that Skype is the
platform of choice for Internet communications because we make it simpler and easier for
people to place free calls to one another whether they are on Skype or within the MySpace
network,” said Michael Van Swaaij, interim CEO of Skype.
MySpaceIM with Skype takes advantage of the many personal privacy settings available to
users throughout the MySpace network. Users who have a MySpace profile set to “private”
can not receive a Skype call from someone who is not on their friends list. Users can also
choose to allow only those individuals they have affirmatively added to their Skype personal
contact list to call them. Users are empowered to block any MySpaceIM with Skype user at
any time, and with the “incoming call window” users can pre-screen incoming callers in
order to accept, ignore, or block the call.
Financial terms of the MySpace and Skype deal were not disclosed.
About MySpace
MySpace, a unit of Fox Interactive Media Inc., is the premier lifestyle portal for connecting
with friends, discovering popular culture, and making a positive impact on the world. By
integrating web profiles, blogs, instant messaging, e-mail, music streaming, music videos,
photo galleries, classified listings, events, groups, college communities, and member
forums, MySpace has created a connected community. As the first ranked web domain in
terms of page views(c), MySpace is the most widely-used and highly regarded site of its
kind and is committed to providing the highest quality member experience. MySpace will
continue to innovate with new features that allow its members to express their creativity and
share their lives, both online and off. MySpace's international network includes localized
community sites in the United States, France, Germany, Australia, Ireland, Spain, Italy,
Mexico, Switzerland, Austria, Canada, Netherlands, New Zealand, Japan, Sweden, Latin
America, Denmark, Norway, Finland and the United Kingdom. Fox Interactive Media is a
division of News Corp. (NYSE: NWS, NWS.A; ASX:NWS, NWSLV).
*Among the top 2000 domains comScore Media Metrix, September 2007. For more information
on comScore Networks, please go to http://www.comscore.com.
About Skype
Skype sets conversations free by providing new and easy ways to stay in touch over the
Internet. Millions of people every day make free Skype-to-Skype voice and video calls and
send instant messages using our software. Some pay a little per minute for long-distance
and international calls to phones and mobiles and for SMS, voicemail and call forwarding, or
they buy subscriptions that give unlimited calls nationwide. We certify and sell hundreds of
hardware products from more than 50 partners and work with third-party developers to
create software to extend Skype's functionality. Skype has been downloaded more than half
a billion times and over 220 million people from almost every corner of the globe have
registered. Make your world a smaller place: talk, share and do more with Skype.
Skype is an eBay company (NASDAQ: EBAY), and you can learn more and get Skype at
Access to a broadband Internet connection is required for Skype and all Skype Certified
devices and accessories. Skype is not a replacement for your traditional telephone
service and cannot be used for emergency calling.
Skype, SkypeIn, SkypeOut, Skype Me, Skype Certified, Skypecasts, associated logos and the
“S” symbol are trademarks of Skype Limited.
# # #
