Skype (software)

Skype is an Internet-based communication network that allows its users to connect with one another through online phone and video calls. Founded in 2003, Skype is a popular voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) service that boasts hundreds of millions of users around the world. For many people, Skype is a particularly attractive platform for communication because those who download it to their computers or cell phones can use its basic features to make video calls and send messages free of charge. Users willing to pay for the service's premium version can also place calls to landlines and have access to other features for a reasonable price. Whether they pay for premium features or not, people frequently use Skype to stay in touch with family and friends, conduct long-distance business meetings, and much more. Thanks to its flexibility and affordability, Skype has grown from humble roots to become one of the largest and most successful communication networks in the world.

Brief History

Skype was the creation of European file-sharing experts Niklas Zennström and Janus Friis. In 2000, Zennström and Friis purchased a fledgling peer-to-peer file-sharing network originally created by a group of Estonian programmers and turned it into Kazaa, a widely used online file-sharing system through which people could download songs, videos, and programs for free by connecting with each other rather than with a third-party server. With Zennström and Friis at the helm, Kazaa became popular over the next few years and eventually earned a place as the most downloaded piece of computer software in history. After selling their landmark file-sharing service to Sharman Networks in 2003, the pair embarked on a new technological venture: Skype.

Using the same peer-to-peer concept that served as the foundation of Kazaa, Zennström and Friis developed a new network through which users could directly connect with one another through voice calls and other types of messages at no charge. Skype, as the new service came to be known, quickly generated interest among Internet users around the world. Interest further expanded in July 2004 with the launch of SkypeOut, a special service that allowed Skype users to place calls to landlines and cell phones for a nominal fee. By 2005, Skype had more than fifty million users worldwide and was quickly becoming a major player in the telecommunications industry. Late that year, Internet auction giant eBay purchased the service for approximately $2.5 billion. Shortly after the sale, the company unveiled Skype 2.0, which enabled users to communicate via video calls for the first time. In the years that followed, Skype's increasing popularity led many tech manufacturers to include the software on their products. At the same time, the discontinuation of SkypeOut in 2006 and the subsequent addition of many new and improved features kept Skype on the cutting edge of technological innovation. Another major step forward came in 2009 when the network made its smartphone debut with the arrival of a Skype application for the iPhone. That year also marked Skype's departure from eBay with a $2 billion sale to a group of investors. Meanwhile, additional improvements and upgrades further increased Skype's popularity. By 2010, the network surpassed five hundred million users. The following year, Microsoft acquired Skype for a staggering $8.5 billion. Since that time, Skype has continued to be the most popular and successful online network of its kind.

Overview

Although the technology that makes it possible is quite complicated, using Skype is remarkably simple. All users need to do is download and install the software and create an account. Once a new user sets up an account, he or she can create a list of contacts and begin communicating with other Skype users.

Skype is perhaps best known as a platform for video calling. At a moment's notice, users who have compatible webcams or devices with built-in cameras can connect with each other for one-on-one video calls. Skype also provides users with the ability to take part in group video calls where a larger group of people can chat at the same time.

As it has from the beginning, Skype also allows users to make voice-only calls. As is the case with video calls, users can make person-to-person calls or participate in group calls. For an extra fee, users can also place Skype calls to traditional landline and cell phone numbers. Skype even allows users to place international calls to many different countries around the world. Users on the go can also have their Skype voice calls forwarded to any phone of their choosing.

In addition to providing voice and video calls, Skype also offers several different messaging services that users can utilize to communicate. As a companion to its video calling service, Skype allows users to record and send video messages that can be viewed at any time. Like similar cell phone services, Skype also allows users to send instant messages and text messages for quick and easy communication without the need to place a voice or video call. Also like cell phones and landlines, Skype can be programmed to take voice messages for users when they are too busy to answer calls.

Skype users also enjoy the ability to share files of any size as well as to share images of their computer screens. By providing "contact me" buttons, share buttons, and extensions for websites and blogs, Skype also makes it easier for users to connect, share information, and start chatting. Skype even helps to facilitate communication between people who might otherwise be separated by a language barrier through Skype Translator, a feature that instantly translates voice calls, video calls, and text messages.

At its core, Skype is a technology that helps people stay connected. Family members who live too far away for regular visits can use Skype to keep in touch in a more personal way than is possible through normal phone conversations. Skype can also be a valuable business tool. Companies can use Skype to include remote employees in important meetings or as a way of connecting with clients or other businesses. Regardless of circumstances, Skype is a powerful and effective platform for communication that has changed the way people connect and interact with one another and significantly influenced the evolution of modern telecommunications.

Bibliography

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