Blog Post: Google researchers published the first intensive study of Skype's user habits.In March, Google researchers published the first intensive study of Skype's
user habits.
In addition to its findings, what's interesting about the study is how much Skype has connected with Google. In the business world, especially Internet-based firms, the kind of customer info Google was allowed to view isn't usually given up without a court fight, or some mutual interest.
There are other Internet "it" couples. Yahoo and Microsoft is one, which the Wall Street Journal reports have in the past held talks about a merger of sorts in order to fight their mutual chief nemesis, Google.
And to a lesser degree, there's Google and Time Warner Inc.'s America Online, which Google now owns a five percent stake in.
Skype/Google, or in these times when high profile couples get a single name, Skoogle, is also high on the 'It Couple' A List.
These are two giant communities of Internet users that are only getting larger. So the tandem's potential is rather jaw-dropping.
Some things they could do? How about linking each firms' respective Internet phone customers so they can call each other? Or combining Google's search engine with Skype's phone or text chat freatures. There's been suggestions of how Skype could use Google's network of thousands of data centers to deliver its voice over Internet Protocol features. That's just for starters, when it comes to what could come from the partnership.
The two sure act like an "it" couple. Every now and then, these two, powerful Net titans make some grand public appearance, which in turn revs up the blogssip machinery about things to come.
A month before the study, the two companies each participated in a $21.7 million round of funding for FON, which seeks to build a volunteer army of Wi-Fi networks around the world. There's 14 screens worth of Google search results espousing on what that all means.
Google was also rumored to be a suitor for Skype before it was snatched up by eBay Inc. in September for $2.6 billion.
The two are also in the same boat. When taking the picture into context, Google and Skype are flies on the windshield the Internet's true titans, the companies own the pipes through which the Internet is delivered. And they want to start charging Skype, Google and other firms whose features clog their networks.
So there's strength in numbers.
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