Original URL: https://www.theregister.com/2007/10/17/skype_myspace/
Skype in MySpace hook-up
Losers together
Posted in Networks, 17th October 2007 11:37 GMT
MySpace has agreed to let eBay's IP telephony damp squib Skype plaster its pages with click-to-call buttons.
The two companies are toiling to continue their membership growth after topping the hype curve in 2005. To use the buttons, people will need both a MySpace and a Skype account, so they should both suck in a few more.
MySpace already has its own instant messenger, installed by 25 million members, and the deal will see the Skype voice network integrated into the same package.
Skype's paid-for services like SkypeIn, SkypeOut, and voicemail will be part of the tie-up, with the normal charges applying. Revenue will be shared with MySpace in an undisclosed carve-up.
MySpace claims the buttons won't lead to a rash of unsolicited calling to go with its existing spam problems. Users who set their profile to private will only be Skype-able by their friends. Most MySpace profiles aren't private, however.
Skype will go live on MySpace in November. Both companies are dealing with pressure at the moment from Facebook, which as well as stealing centre stage in the social networking circle-jerk, is going after eBay with its own classifieds marketplace.
In a separate announcement yesterday, Sony BMG agreed to let MySpace users stream its artists' music and videos legally, in return for a share of Murdoch's advertising dollars from those profiles. ®