I’ve had a couple of conversations with Skype exec Jonathan Christensen over the last few days to get a better understanding of just what directions the company plans to go with regard to third party developers. The recent announcement of the closing of the Skype Extras program seems to suggest Skype is heading exactly in the wrong direction.
As an aside, one of those conversations was extraordinary from a technical perspective. Jonathan called me via Skype, which forwarded via Skype Out to my mobile phone when I didn’t pick up. Since Google now controls my mobile number, it rang my cell and my home Vonage line per my rules. I picked up the vonage line and I had a crystal clear connection with no lag.
Christensen says that the Extras announcement is not about Skype backing away from a robust developer platform. Rather, he says, Skype is focusing on a next generation platform that will hopefully address the deficiencies of the old program and open many more opportunities for developers to build on Skype services.
Vague? Somewhat. But it’s a heck of a lot more information than we’ve ever gotten out of Skype before.
Eventually, we suspect, Skype will release a SDK that allows developers to integrate deep into Skype and make calls over the Skype service without opening the Skype client. In other words, people may start to think of Skype (voice, video, chat) as a service rather than a client that must be installed and used to communicate. Today’s tools, which include a public API and the now defunct Extras program, require developers to open the Skype client to make a call.
In the future we’ll see other third party desktop applications be able to make Skype calls directly, and possibly share in the growing Skype-out per minute charges that make up the bulk of Skype revenues. And sometime after that, we will see web applications leveraging Skype as a service, too.
A couple of things have to happen first, though. There are two reasons Skype has to run on a client today. The first is audio/video encoding at the client level that ensure high quality calls with low latency and minimal configuration. There’s a reason calls on Skype tend to sound good. The second is the p2p architecture of Skype, which also affects latency and cost.
It’s relatively straightforward for Skype to allow third parties to build both functions into their apps via a SDK, which is why we’ll see desktop applications integrate Skype as a service first.
But the real win is when you can initiate skype voice and video calls via web applications. It’s not clear that we’re anywhere near that being possible with today’s browsers, say experts we’ve spoken with. There will likely always need to be some desktop software to assist with at least audio/video encoding. But it’s possible this could be done via browser plugins, or even in Flash.
Anyway, we’re looking a ways into the future with all of this. But one thing seems clear – Skype, which is happily soon to be under new management, will someday open its doors widely to developers.
Interesting…
Look forward to the completion of Skype’s next generation platform…
+1
Can’t wait to see some development opportunities.
Skype’s decision to build next generation platform is appreciable. But for that killing a older one is a wrong decision. It is wiser to have an upgrade rather than rebuilding things from scratch. It is hard to get a shape soon.
I think I see it.
Andreesen leads the consortium and is on the board of Facebook. As I’ve interpreted this and based on the decission to revamp the developer platform and branch out more towards offering Skype to developers as more of a service rather than a client, I can see a new marriage with very promising synergies; Facebook + Skype.
That’s one holistic communications platform for you.
i can see skype extending to a social network. skype contacts are more important than facebook’s
Skype had social graph traction before Facebook came along. Now they don’t. Facebook own the social graph of 250+ million people. Fact.
next generation platform, good news
People are still waiting for a 3 way video conference on Skype.
There are (were) plugins that did that but were flaky, I surely hope this does come true as well!
Jon @ WoodMarvels.com
thnx for such gd post
Download the newest software and experience it when skype update
“Ribbit” – i think it has Flash based APIs to make receive calls… and is what Skype might want to aim at. And Ribbit has been around for some time now.
Ribbit? Currently residing in the where are they now file.
“I picked up the vonage line and I had a crystal clear connection with no lag.”
Any disclosure there? I’ve never seen someone with a good cell plan, rave about $24.99 Vonage service.
I admit, sometimes I speak too soon. Maybe you were really trying to express that through the networks of Skype, Google Voice, and Vonage, you still had a great call experience.
Maybe I read it wrong.
Sounds like the way forward.
oh…good news for next generation platfrom
Next generation platform, but not for Linux, Linux is not in their priorities.. the last official version for Linux is 2.0, I can’t use 4.0 with Wine, so I think Skype for linux is not good and the next generation platform doesn’t make me happy :/
Best regards,
Ubuntu user!
Skype recently released Skype for Linux 2.1 beta which incorporates the features included into Skype for Windows and Skype for Mac over the past two years including High Quality Video and support for the SILK codec. <a href="http://voiceontheweb.biz/2009/09/skype-for-linux-21-beta-finally-silk-call-quality-across-all-skype-to-skype-calls/"Skype for Linux 2.1 Beta: Finally SILK Call Quality Across All Skype-to-Skype Calls
If you want real software, first get a real OS.
@arrington – browsers are applications, web based skype through a browser integrated API.
Well voice quality and video quality of skype is better than any other service provider and it works well at low bandwidth.
How about supporting the open standard that is the SIP protocol.
No more proprietary BS please.
“crystal clear connection with no lag” – you sound like a skype newbie
That’s good news. I hope they can get this new platform out sometime soon, I want to access Skype from Pidgin or another all-in-one service. I want less software running.
Michael, check out http://www.FriendCaller.com We can iniate crystal clear VoIP calls with today’s browse, is all done, nothing to install, starts in your web browser
It will be interesting to see what type of advancements skype makes in the very near future.
That’s good news.
We already develop applications for different telephony platforms with open standards at AppBrick (http://www.AppBrick.com).
Would like to see skype adopts standards based approach and not a proprietary one.
Hate to say it, but… told ya so!
I sure hope this is the case, but why “that will be supported in the next release” is said so often as to be meaningless until you actually see results. Reminds me of Microsoft’s old freeze-the-market tactics.
Wow! Finally!
Will Skype in fact become more friendly to 3rd party developers? It would be great. It would mean wonderful prospects both for desktop and mobile apps.
Skype claims 480 million users and can’t make a profit.
Sounds like a Tech Crunch approved business model!
I called it: http://www.tech...comment-2978454
First thing Skype need to do is wake up and realize that there is a thing called CUSTOMER SERVICE, which they didn’t seem to hear of.
I have been a paying customer with skype for years, and I think they have the WORST customer service I’ve ever encountered.
So dear Skype management team – please start by improving the human qualities – and only then move to the technical.
Dave
Hi all
Just want you to notice ooVoo already have a service called video chat rooms where you can video chat with any one any where without install any software.You just sent a link generated automatically to the person you wanna chat with
and when you hit the link you get “virtual chat room” then you can video chat with great video and sound quality .
As well as embed this into your own website, like you embed let’s say youtube video
met with Skype right after eBay bought them- transfered staff from eBay to Skype for retail. clueless and has remained the same ever since. Everything was walled garden and asked us to put together their retail biz plan after we pitched what we suggest they do – we came from payments space. That was 3 yrs ago- so many lost opportunities- skype cash instant around the globe- event services broadcast in real time-just loads of missed ops but hopefully now someone can open up for everyone
I don’t suspect that the “naked skype” option that everyone wants is ever going to happen. If Skype offered this kind of API, a developer could build a client that uses Skype’s IM, file-transfer and Skype-to-Skype calling features (for which Skype earns no money) and then use a cheaper 3rd party provider for PSTN interconnect. So they have to walk a careful line there.
A bit more on this:
“Going naked could freeze Skype’s cash cow”
http://www.shai...rger.com/?p=261
Hi Guys, Really neat article. One of the guys who works in our corporation sent this to me. You might want to look at this site to see what the next generation of Skype could be: http://www.prot...ch-chat-bar.htm This is not an advertisement. The article mentions the ability to call directly from an application using the SKYPE Api’s without needing to open native Skype and we have been doing it for years. We just got Skype certified and this will be released to the public in the next 2 weeks. Let us know what you think.