Providing market intelligence for more than 35 years

Yahoo! Finance & News

Microsoft Acquires Skype In $8.5 Billion Deal

"When I look at the price tag, I go 'What?'" said Harry Wang, director of mobile research at Parks Associates, a tech research and consulting group. "$8.5 billion for revenue less than $1 billion a year? The long term, incremental value makes sense but it's not exactly a match with the price tag."

"The user base will definitely boost Microsoft's online presence," said Wang. "That's one of the key battlegrounds for them to gain in the future and they have to be there."

"It looks like Microsoft got into a bidding war, that Google and Facebook tried to acquire Skype," said Wang. "To use the Mastercard tagline, keeping competitors away from your key asset is priceless."
 

Previously In The News

One quarter of US homes will be streaming media via their TVs by 2015

In the first nine months of 2014 alone, 10% of American households with a broadband connection snapped up a set-top box or a media streaming stick -- that's equal to total sales of the devices in 2...

Technology Stock Roundup: Tech Stocks Down But MSFT/INTC Gain

Google Pulls Ahead of Apple in TV Streaming: According to a report from research firm Parks Associates, Google’s Chromecast now accounts for 20% of sales from set-top-box/streaming sticks. Roku rem...

New service wants to see if you'll pay for your YouTube favorites

The biggest question for Vessel, though, is how many of the people who like to watch short videos are the kind of people who will pay $3 a month for early access. "The real challenge for Vessel wil...

Coming smartwatch war with Apple kicks off in Barcelona

Huawei’s watch, which was developed by Ben Norton, a watch designer who has worked for Fossil and Armani, has a striking circular design and traditional-looking faces and drew considerable attentio...