Microsoft integrates Skype with Outlook.com

On August 19, Microsoft announced the launch of the integration of Skype and Outlook.com in the USA, UK, Germany, France, Brazil and Canada.

The combination of Skype with Outlook.com brings together the two most popular Microsoft services and brings e-mail system to a new level. These innovations will be the backbone for further competition with Gmail. Outlook.com has a fast-growing user base, which is expanding due to large infusions of Hotmail users (its corporation has turned outdated), but it also has strong organic growth.

Microsoft paid billions for Skype and made a bet that video communications will grow rapidly. Outlook.com, in turn, now has more than 400 million active accounts, so the combination of these two systems can provide significant mutual growth.
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Gmail, of course, fends off this “lunge” with Google Hangouts. Nevertheless, in spite of its interestingness and novelty, it cannot be put on a par with Skype in terms of fame, reliability and user confidence.

In the official announcement of Microsoft, they noted the result of a survey conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs. About 76 percent of respondents confirmed that their email correspondence often turns into a telephone or video call. And now Outlook.com users will have this opportunity right at hand.

Recall that on May 10, 2011, Microsoft bought Skype Communications for $ 8.5 billion. From now on, Skype is a Microsoft division with headquarters in Luxembourg. Then followed a period of lull and any integration steps were not announced to the general public.

And so, on February 15, 2013, it was announced that Microsoft closes its veteran - Windows Live Messenger in favor of Skype (leaving it only in the Chinese market).

Then, on August 15, the news came out that Skype would be pre-installed in the new Windows 8.1.

Now we see that Skype will be embedded in the giant's online services.