Microsoft to Launch "Skype Killer"

TheChillPill writes "Microsoft is due to announce the launch of a service to rival Skype following the acquision of VoIP provider Teleo. While a crude version of VoIP is already included in most Instant Messaging programs, Skype is currently the only provider to allow calls to landlines and cellphones. Microsoft intends to launch the service by the end of the year. "

Comments

Yeah whatever...

[It doesn't come easy]

In the old days, an announcement like this would have been an instant death blow to the competing company. I am happy to note these days it is a relative non-event. This is not to say Microsoft's entry into a market cannot have a significant impact. But gone are the good old days where Microsoft simply had to announce some vaporware to stop a competitor in their tracks. From that perspective, things are better today than they used to be.

Re:Yeah whatever...

[BackInIraq]

In the old days, an announcement like this would have been an instant death blow to the competing company.

Yeah, now it's only a death blow when Google does it. :)

Re:Yeah whatever...

[eMartin]

We'll see what happens when they include it with Vista and make it a default for VOIP or whatever.

Re:Yeah whatever...

[chrisd]

It is worth pointing out that we try hard not to talk about things -before- we launch them. It's pretty uncool to compete this way (imo)

Chris

why not wait?

[spoonyfork]

Microsoft intends to launch the service by the end of the year.

Why not wait until the end of the year to make an announcement when it will be news? Anything more than that is free advertising for something that doesn't exist. *sigh*

Landlines and cellphones

[willm5]

"Skype is currently the only provider to allow calls to landlines and cellphones."

Thats not entirely accurate. British Telecom have an add-on to Yahoo messenger that allows calls to landlines and cellphones.

Only Provider?

[jmt(tm)]

Skype is currently the only provider to allow calls to landlines and cellphones.

Oh, really? What happened to all the H.323 and SIP based services? Did they all vanish?

Thinking like a geek

[PhYrE2k2]

I am happy to note these days it is a relative non-event.

You're thinking like a geek. $10 bucks says most people's mothers who use MSN already (like those that use Yahoo, ICQ, AOL, etc) will use the service that pops up and says "Would you like to make a voice call to 'Your son in Italy' for only $10/mo". Probably saying to themselves: "A monkey is asking for my credit card number... That seems fair."

This is the world we live in. We talk about marketing being just FUD, but it's really not. People buy whatever people sell. I've seen funny stuff on infomercials that people obviously buy (a vacuum that sucks up your hair and cuts it with a blade inside the vacuum attachment- this was in the 'cut your hair at home' stage of the late 80's).

People will buy what seems reasonable and what you tell them to buy. Ask any marketing student. 99% of the market is uneducated as to what Skype is. Vonage has only made such headway through significant marketing, which M$ could outdo anyday... and who wouldn't switch to a M$ product that already runs their office, home, and play communications needs?

M$ integrates an ad and the feature into MSN Messenger, and they'll instantly have a LOT of people. No having to download additional software, no setup, no confusing additional software that may or may not hurt your computer... just works.

-M

Re:Thinking like a geek

[It doesn't come easy]

True. Microsoft has the brand advantage and the built-in market reach via Windows. However, this is not to say that Skype is out of the picture without recourse, which is my point. While Microsoft is not very innovative (in the sense of coming up with brand new ideas), they are very good at copying and improving. Skype has to compete or they will disappear. In the old days, however, they would not have stood a chance. Today, they can remain a competitor if they earn that right. And clueless consumers (e.g. you and me) may end up with better technology because of real competition instead of being forced to take whatever Microsoft chose to market.

Best strategy for Skype

[Anonymous Coward]

I hope Skype doesn't make the same mistake as every other company that tried to beat Microsoft at their own game. The best strategy for skype in a battle like this is play by their own rules. Specifically, they should completely open their protocol. If they try to pit one proprietary solution against a Microsoft proprietary solution, they will lose.

Re:one more thing.

[CaymanIslandCarpedie]

I agree Skype is going to be around (I use it and love it), but I think they really need to think about becoming SIP compliant. My biggest grip about Skype is I cannot call friends who use other VOIP clients, but those same friends who use different clients can still call each other because other services are SIP compliant.

Will MS's product be SIP (standards based)? The Teleo beta products was, so I'd assume so but I haven't heard anything for sure and with MS you never really know.

Microphone?

[PhilHibbs]

I can't believe no-one's suggested this yet. Maybe because it's a really weak joke.

Re:that old microsoft technology???

[tpgp]

windows 98 *snip* had a built in feature to place calls through your modem line, *snip* to be able to make long distance calls.....this was rectified in the second edition of windows 98.... *snip* call my friends in new york from canada for free

Windows 98 did not contain some magic software to allow you to call your friends for free.

I'm not sure what you're describing - but I suspect you dialed New York at standard intl rates & the company you worked for footed the bill.

It brings back memories

[re-Verse]

This brings me back to when Microsoft decided that search engines were cool and launched their search engine/Google killer.

I wonder what ever happened to that Google company after that.

Microsoft seems to suffer from institutional ADD

[lxs]

Over the last year MS introduced/announced:

A 'google search killer'
An 'ipod killer'
A 'bittorrent killer'

A load of X killers that I can't be bothered to remember

now a Skype killer

How about, well I don't know, eh, ACTUALLY MAKING A DECENT OS THAT'S FINISHED ON TIME?

I guess that's asking too much.

Come on MS finish what you start before you do something else.
we NEED a slower operating system on our computers. It's the only thing that will lead to faster processors.

/me puts on tinfoil hat

Or do you think it's a mere coincidence that since the introduction of WinXP and the long wait for it's successor, processor speed suddenly stopped doubling every 18 months?

Re:one more thing.

[aminorex]

Skype does not use SIP becaue SIP *SUCKS*. Its NAT and firewall behaviour is atrocious. Forget SIP. Any client using SIP is almost useless in the real world. SIP is what has prevented VOIP from taking off as it should have for the past 10 years. It's a bad protocol design. Dynamic server port numbers is StuPId.

Skype is good because it JUST WORKS. Skype should add a SIP bridge, though, to leverage the SIP installed base, like they leverage the POTS installed base.

Now if Skype switched to the IAX2 protocol used by Asterisk, that would rock. But NO SIP PLEASE.