Every teenager or college student/drop out with an idea being cooked in their garage is under big tech companies’ radars. It has happened time after time.
Twitter got so big, so fast, that Mark Zuckerberg tried to buy it out after feeling threatened with the booming new social network. And not just Facebook, Google was also in on the hunt. Of course, Twitter’s high executives and creators have not sold… yet.
But it’s not always the case that a company is too proud to be bought by a standing giant. Google successfully bought YouTube and Blogger not so long ago. But then again what Google did to those platforms was better than their respective creators could have ever done to them. YouTube is now the world leader in video streaming and Blogger is one of the top Blogging sites there is.
There have been purchases that instead of enhancing the product, it has been a mistaken union. Best example and most recent would be Ebay trying to buy web call giant Skype. Everything was set to go, but something went wrong with legal issues concerning technology rights. Now who has come to the rescue? Microsoft just scooped up Ebay wrong doings for 8.5 billion dollars. That’s right, the all-time favorite in free web calls and low rate calls to land lines and cell phones is now in Bill Gates’ pocket.
I’ve heard and read opinions from several friends and colleagues – especially @JackSocialMed1a a friend and a twitter user- about this acquisition. The majority seems to be disappointed. They (and frankly, me too) have little faith in what Microsoft can do for Skype. Skype was, at the beginning, having a few problems regarding reception and clarity in voice calls. With time, that has been enhanced almost to perfection. Everyone has been fascinated with advantages it offers over any other similar service. In my trips, this has been my utmost communication tool with the world. But really… how can Microsoft improve it?
Our faith is set on Google now to come up with a better, newer product now that Skype has been taken from us (Microsoft: please prove us wrong!). They say, however, that it’s more than just wishful thinking. Google is in fact working on a product this similar, and perhaps better: Google Voice. Will it ever skyrocket? Let’s see what the near future brings. In the meantime, get your headsets strapped on while it’s settled.
Actually, I was GLAD that Microsoft bought it. I don’t know what Steve Ballmer has been doing all this years, but Microsoft is the new IBM, old and obsolete just making money off their first product.
Google is obviously going to try something with Google Voice and they have the means and channels to make people embrace it rapidly; however, I think Microsoft will use it at a Corporate level and embed Skype technology into everything they have: mobile services, Windows, MSN Messenger, and maybe even come to an agreement with Facebook to use it. Let’s nor forget that Microsoft has 10% of the “weird” stock that Facebook as sold so far. Thus, Microsoft will be building a commercial/strategical defense agains Apple, Google and Facebook.
The question is if Microsoft would be able to pull it off in a timely manner, and even more important, if it will $$$$…
Granted, Microsoft is a dinosaur, a mature product in the survival business, where actually they’re key product continues to reign the pc world. I agree with the possibility of reinvention on their behalf, they have no other option but to do so. It’s become clear how Apple is winning over territory with the MAC OS operational system, but then again Apple underwent a long period of near death from which they could only be revived by iPod and Jobs’ rocket pitch to the world.
Which brings me to my next point, Microsoft better higher themselves a great speech giver or they’ll slowly watch their glory days die with windows. So yes, let’s hope it’s a turning point from them, because to be perfectly honest, I want more from them than just the operating system I’m used to and their magnificent xbox.