As reported in the Wallstreet Journal Microsoft has been rumoured to be buying Skype and taking on Skype’s debt for as much as $8.5 billion. Should the deal go ahead this would make it Microsofts largest acquisition, though both the software giant Microsoft and the Luxembourg based Skype have declined to comment on the story.
Microsoft, who still make the majority of their profit through the sales of its operating system Windows and its Office software packages, have seen the internet as a key part of their future strategy as rivals such as Google still control a large majority in this field.
Microsoft investors are said to be concerned at the acquisition as Skype still posts annual loses but the purchase of the VoIP software could give Microsoft a healthy boost to their competitive strength in the ever expanding voice communications market. Especially as Microsoft still attempts (and some say might fail) to make headway in the mobile phone market even with their well reviewed release of the Windows Phone 7.
The deal could be announced as early as Tuesday next week.
