Exclusive: Facebook and Skype Readying Deep Integration Partnership

September 29, 2010 at 12:34 am PT

You didn’t think Facebook would integrate with Google (GOOG) Voice, did you?

Actually, according to sources close to the situation, Facebook and Skype are poised to announce a significant and wide-ranging partnership that will include integration of SMS, voice chat and Facebook Connect.

The move by the pair–which have tested small contact importer integrations before–is a natural one for the social networking giant, which is aiming to be the central communications and messaging platform for its users, across a range of media.

Facebook’s goal, according to sources: To mesh communications and community more tightly together and add more tools to allow users to do so.

Since it was not going to create an Internet telephony service of its own–kind of like not creating a mobile operating system–Facebook has apparently turned to the Web’s Internet telephony leader.

Interestingly, Facebook has previously tested a video chat product.

Skype had 124 million people using it at least once a month and 560 million registered users, which will be bolstered by the 500 million Facebook users who will now be able to use it more seamlessly within Skype.

That will include allowing users to SMS and call Facebook friends from Skype, which will now deploy Facebook Connect.

And also do video chat using Facebook in Skype, which you can see below, in a very odd screenshot sent to me by a source–Walt Mossberg’s code name is not Daniel Matthews and I am not Allison Brown. (Click on the image to make it larger.)

This all will be available in Skype’s newest version, 5.0, which emerges from beta in a few weeks.

This is a big win for the Luxembourg-based Skype, which is currently readying a public offering.

While it now dominates the online calling space, it needs to be present where users are now moving, such as Facebook.

And for Facebook, this is also helpful to its international push, making it more appealing globally since Skype is much more popular outside the U.S.

It will be interesting to see if both cross-integrate into their popular mobile apps too.

Facebook has been doing a lot of integrations with other communications services, such as a massive upcoming one with Yahoo (YHOO) and also one with Microsoft (MSFT).

Skype is also increasing its partnerships. Today, for example, it will announce a deal with Avaya, which makes office phones and related software aimed at businesses.

The pair called it a “strategic unified communications and collaboration partnership,” and is centered on business and personal videoconferencing.

Tagged with: 5.0, Allison Brown, app, Avaya, beta, BoomTown, business, call, Chat, code name, collaboration, communications, community, contact importer, Daniel Matthews, deal, digital, exclusive, Facebook, Facebook Connect, global, Google, Google Voice, image, integration, international, Internet, Kara Swisher, Luxembourg, messaging, Microsoft, Office, operating system, partnership, personal, phone, platform, product, public offering, registered, screenshot, service, Skype, SMS, social networking, software, telephony, tool, user, video, videoconferencing, voice chat, Yahoo

comments so far. Add yours.

http://twitter.com/dergal Gerry White

Unfortunately I can’t trust Skype any more – as they won’t produce a Android device due to deals with Verizon etc.. it means that despite it being available in a good format to iPhone I can’t use it, shame as I encouraged it to my relatives abroad as a way of us staying in touch.
http://www.mwd.com @JoeHobot

I don’t see it being popular. Many on facebook have more than just “friends” but I must admit that feature is nice…

…….testing….
http://www.expion.com EricaMcClenny

I’m very interested to see how this works. Will it allow you to record a video conference and then post it to a business page or place? Hmmm…can’t wait to see.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Alexey-Aylarov/1832182772 Alexey Aylarov

Don’t believe it will work… Skype can’t be integrated with web, because of it’s standalone nature.
http://www.MarkHubert.Net Mark Hubert

I think it is a great move both sites!
Anonymous

If Skype becomes tarred with FB’s anti-privacy brush it will be a very very bad thing for Skype.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=514275761 Alexander Straub

Hey Skype is Not the only game in town, truphone is a strong second contender and maybe a much Better Partner for Facebook
Anonymous

I’m suprised at all the negative comments. Seems like a no brainer to me – Skype has to get this right but it’s a huge and great move for them.
Dave W Baldwin

remember by staying seperate, Skype can do Twitter
Anonymous

This will bring facebook down. The reason people use email and texting is so they dont have to speak face to face. You get your message accross and thats that.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=715188456 Steph Carrier

NO PLEASE SKYPE DON’T!!!
Don’t become an effing bloated software full of useless bullshit for mainstream myspace 15 years old kiddies and cellphone whores!

Sorry, but I hate this idea.
No privacy at all.

They had a GREAT idea to implement video conference…
but F**K you facebook.
F**K youF**K youF**K youF**K youF**K youF**K youF**K youF**K you for making skype the next thing that will disgust me.

And F**K this website for making me use my facebook account to connect! URG
http://twitter.com/so_rudez Rudy

so when’s skype gonna stake taking adantage of the i4′s front facing camera?
http://www.facebook.com/jochen.witte Jochen Witte

Great move for both sides and their users.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1492764245 Michel Descent

On skype I have only closed friend and would not like to amalgam too much with some of the people I have on FB. Even if i’m very rigourus with how is entering in my network. Hopefully there will be a feature which will help to filter and not show to my community how I do or not connect on skype. Tricky…..
RedLeafNetwork

huh? skype is owned by ebay and the founders owned kazaa. privacy has never bothered those two. canada pension plan (social security to americans) owns a huge chunk too
Anonymous

Which would be a valid point if the CURRENT ownership structure were the only constituency. Facebook is a quasi-public medium. Skype, for it to have any value to its USERS is a private one. If Skype’s actual users don’t believe their communications are secure they’ll flee to the alternatives, thereby killing the value of the company. Don’t think ebay cares about privacy and security? Ever heard of Paypal? Do you seriously think ebay could survive if the security of their communications was compromised?
RedLeafNetwork

I may have in-articulated my comment. Privacy is a non-issue and over-rated
as a concern. Most users are already super-”exposed” willfully. All that’s
left is the political correctness issue. Google’s CEO put out a trial
balloon but realized that the public was not ready yet to concede what they
have already conceded. Nothing is private just as no one is truly free.
Skype’s value is inherently based on ‘potential’. That value can be
manipulated easily. It’s a stock play as it has always been. It’s only
legitimate value is tied to ebay. It is revenue negative. i.e worthless but
for its relationships. In the end who cares. Wanna exchange phone numbers
on here right now or are you gonna make me click two more times to find out
who you are. See? Easy as pie! Get off your developer’s high horse and
tell your angels that there is nothing to see here but just another bubble
waiting to burst. Welcome to the new tech crash. Soon, I hope, so real
companies can do real things.
RedLeafNetwork

I may have in-articulated my comment. Privacy is a non-issue and over-rated as a concern. Most users are already super-”exposed” willfully. All that’s left is the political correctness issue. Google’s CEO put out a trial balloon but realized that the public was not ready yet to concede what they have already conceded. Nothing is private just as no one is truly free. Skype’s value is inherently based on ‘potential’. That value can be manipulated easily. It’s a stock play as it has always been. It’s only legitimate value is tied to ebay. It is revenue negative. i.e worthless but for its relationships. In the end who cares. Wanna exchange phone numbers on here right now or are you gonna make me click two more times to find out who you are. See? Easy as pie! Get off your developer’s high horse and tell your angels that there is nothing to see here but just another bubble waiting to burst. Welcome to the new tech crash. Soon, I hope, so real companies can do real things.
http://www.cebutechblogger.com Cebu Tech Blogger

It’s a great move for both of these companies, indeed. Just wondering though, how long the partnership would be?
http://newpunishment.deepr.ca/ DarrinSearancke

I just committed Web 2.0 Suicide … but kept my Skype account. Now what will I do?
Anonymous

If you still have to sign in to Facebook to use it, then fine, I wont do so. But if my personal information is shared with Facebook without subscribing, I will end my subscription to Skype. I want nothing to do with Facebook, despite this venture between the two companies.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Masahiro-Noguchi/100001315261872 Masahiro Noguchi

This move is interesting.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=734641625 Buddhika Krishantha

I installed skype 5 on my windows PC.
but when i go to facebook tab it says “Check your connection.
ypu dont seems to have active internet connection”

:(

any 1 can help me????
http://www.facebook.com/people/Cheikh-Diop/100001035831436 Cheikh Diop

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Facebook is a quasi-public medium. Skype, for it to have any value to its USERS is a private one. If Skype’s actual users don’t believe their communications are secure they’ll flee to the alternatives, thereby killing the value of the company.
http://www.playlist.pk Pakistani music

I think its just a great work.

Exclusive: Facebook and Skype Readying Deep Integration Partnership

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