Skype: What Microsoft products would you like to see integrated with Skype?

By Tom Warren, on 17th Oct 11 7:42 pm with 85 Comments

Skype wants to know what Microsoft products you’d like to see integrated with the video and voice calling service?

Microsoft finalized its Skype deal last week and wasted no time in removing Google’s toolbar from the software. Microsoft is now promising to integrate its newly acquired Skype software into various product lines. The software giant is expected to integrate Skype support into Xbox, Windows Phone, Kinect, Outlook and Lync. The support will bring a compelling audio and video service to Microsoft’s various products. Microsoft has promised not to remove the Skype branding and will also support Skype on rival platforms to ensure compatibility and reach across operating systems like OS X, Android and BlackBerry OS. The acquisition will also bring Microsoft’s instant messaging market share up to around 70%.

Skype’s Twitter account tweeted the following on Monday:

Where do you want to see Skype in Microsoft's products?

So what would you like to see? Leave a comment below and we’ll be sure to pass them on to Microsoft and Skype.

  • Anonymous

    Windows Phone. Xbox. WL Messenger. Metro version for Windows 8.

    • http://twitter.com/casandrasdream casandrasdream

      I updated my phone to 7.5 and it is now useless, keyboard disappears all the time, the battery life is crap now ?!?!?!, and it freezes all the time.I have had most of the bugsherehttp://wmpoweruser.com/ton… going back to IOS where I should have stayed after my contract is up, Im trying to see If I can get out of it as basically the phone they have given me is “not fit for purpose”Microsoft needs to sort this crap out…………………………………

    • Seth_p

      Hm, I have a Samsung Focus and my battery life is great on Mango. Maybe you should do a factory reset or maybe it’s a hardware issue?  Just because you have a hic-up shouldn’t cause such an extreme reaction. If that’s the case you would have hated Apple when they rolled out iOS 5. My friends couldn’t update for hours or waiting till the next day. How about Android… *cough* Any who, good luck

    • Anonymous

      I have 3 Samsung Focus devices and 2 HTC HD7 devices and neither has suffered any of these bugs. Batterly life is excellent. Apps restarting too fast made me double check if they were really synched the first few times.

      All systems are a go so far.

      I also upgraded 2 iPhones 4s to iOS over the weekend and 2 iPads (a 1 and a 2) to iOS 5. What a pain in the ass. Basically the devices were wiped clean to support iCloud. Had to reinstall all sorts of apps. Some home grown some not. Worst experience upgrading a mobile OS ever. In their defense it is an upgrade to a major version but come on apple! in 2011? Really? You’ve gotta wipe the devices completely clean? It still took a good 20 minutes or so to upgrade each one. It’s not like you got the experience down to mere minutes.

    • Anonymous

      I hate making this claim, because there is a one in a million chance your telling the truth.  But judging by your tone and the fact that you posted that same message like 6 times in other articles, I’m going to call bull shit on you.  In the words of Joe Wilson, “YOU LIE!”

    • Seth_p

      Good catch. /facepalm

    • Anonymous

      I’ll gladly squish one chance.

    • http://twitter.com/mcakins McAkins Online

      You’re the odd one out mate. If you are not a trol, you should contact your manufacturer or Microsoft to get it fixed. If you are a trol, well you know what to do… like jump off a cliff for example. But what has this to do with the topic in question actually?

    • Guest

      Hey “Gary” idiot, why are you posting this under multiple aliases?

    • Guest
    • Gabriel

      That’s BS troll, stop trying to paint a bad picture of WP7 and go to the iforums where you belong. I’ve not have one problem out of my wp7 and l’ve had the phone since its release last year. And in mango, you can change the setting to save battery life although i don’t use them and my battery life is fine. I also have an iphone4; the battery life is crappy it freezes and reboots frequently, and items disappear. So if your leaving wp7 it because you can’t stand having a device the trouble free.

    • Anonymous

      I looked up the word troll in my dictionary and saw a picture of @twitter-392928963:disqus next to the definition of the word.

    • Guest

      Funny, when I looked it up it said casandrasdream, or see “majankajan”, or see “Gary”, or see “translatethis27″ or see psychotic asshat.

    • Anonymous

      Skype built into Phone/Messaging/People Hubs of Windows Phone, Windows 8, and Xbox

    • Anonymous

      Completely agree with your list. Right now, I think Windows Phone is the most obvious choice for the first platform to integrate with Skype, followed by Windows 8 and Kinect/Xbox 360. If you can give all three of those platforms the capability of video calling with one another out of the box, you’re going to be getting a lot of consumers involved — big-time competitive advantage right there.

    • http://twitter.com/revontuli3 Michal Gurník

      and also office stuff-outlook, lync, OC and some connection to exchange would be nice :)

  • http://www.Nave360.com Sebastian Gorgon

    Skype and MSN integrated into one, and Skype becoming part of Windows live essentials. 

    • Erikpvb

      Can’t wait to have it fully integrated on WP7, am sure MS should just provide it as a system update without carriers being able to test or block it.
      Integration on Xbox with kinect would be awesome too. Metro app or full integration in W8 as well.

    • Anonymous

      I agree Erikpvb. I would love to see Skype integrated with Lync and a simple way to have federated businesses be able to have a directory of services to take advantage of the VOIP capabilities of both systems.  You could have “Free” Business to Business to Customer VOIP calling. It could truly revolutionize the telecom industry by bringing a universal standard. With the way it is handled on WP7 where you can switch your conversation between text and chat, for businesses it could be a killer feature especially if implemented properly.

  • http://www.winrumors.com Tom W

    Personally. I’d like to see Skype integrated into the People and Messaging hub of Windows Phone. That’s not on the cards for the first release as it’s a stand alone app but it would be awesome in the future :)

    • Anonymous

      Wouldn’t it be simpler to start with Live ID integration then?

    • Grzesiek

      Windows Live ID + Skype == Skype in Hotmail, Windows Phone, XBOX :)

    • Anonymous

      Skype is hotmail should be awesome!

    • http://twitter.com/PeterKremzar Peter Kremzar

      That would be great sure.
      But they already have an application they introduced long ago. They could just put it to the Marketplace for the beginning because there isn’t one there yet.

    • http://twitter.com/mcakins McAkins Online

      I think they are wary to release anything that will compete with the Phone companies. That is why they haven’t release that old Skype app.

    • http://www.twitter.com/wixostrix WixosTrix

      Also, there are no front-facing cams officially on the market, aside from that one Fugistu phone.  Video is THE feature in Skype and I could understand if they figured, Skype without video would be a bit insettling when they’re trying to attract the general consumer.  One way video wouldn’t cut it.  People would ask what phone they could get that would allow them and there would be no Windows Phone to refer them to.  We just gotta wait.

    • http://twitter.com/Joelleigh Joel leigh

      Tom, was that confirmed?

    • Anonymous

      People and messaging hub is a natural place for Skype integration. I also think Microsoft should be able to differenciate enough in its Skype/WP offerings and not keep the playing field leveled with the offering on Android and iPhone. This is a golden opportunity to showcase the platform and the product line.

      I also think there is a dual edge sword in using Metro on non WP platforms in the way Microsoft is allowing Bing and other teams to keep the look and feel consistent. I am not saying the iOS and Android versions of those apps shouldn’t have a compelling UX but Metro itself in my opinion should be reserved to WP and W8.

    • Anonymous

      I also think that they should give Skype special capabilities like running in the background and in phone conversation integration to allow users to switch between voice and video conversations seamlessly.

  • rojo

    Windows 8/7, XBOX and Windows Phone with seamless integration and interactivity. I should be able to talk to anyone on any of those devices. They need to announce, launch and release at the CES keynote in January.

  • http://twitter.com/PeterKremzar Peter Kremzar

    For the beginning I’d like to have the WP7 application they introduced long ago and which is still not at the MarketPlace.

    After that we can wait a little bit, but Xbox is the priority because it’s not on Xbox yet. Xbox would be great for conference calls. I use it with my video projector which offers me a large screen. But the problem here is not many of my friends really use Live Messenger (FaceBook is strong for chat last time) and some are on Mac unfortunatelly.

  • Anonymous

    WP7 Tango, Xbox 360/720 with Kinect/Kinect 2, Win7/8 PCs/Tablets.

    Most importantly a Skype WP where you only have a data connection and communicate through Skypes different messaging clients (and Live/Facebook/Twitter/LinkedIn of course) It should cost about $150 no contract and be Buy One get Two Free on Contract

  • mosen

    almost any product from Microsoft which doesnt have skype right now such as Xbox. Windows Phone, Office and core integration of Win 8 (maybe)…

  • Anonymous

    Everything.  I want Microsoft to integrate it into everything. Show me the ROI!

  • http://www.mainstreetchatham.com/ JimmyFal

    How about integrate it into every single product they make, STARTING WITH THE XBOX. The Video Kinect is a HUGE big deal for me, and it will be a huge big deal when I can make a Skype call from my couch! Video calling from the couch and controlling the TV with your voice are a couple of technologies that people WILL take for granted once they have it, and NEVER GO BACK to the old way once they start doing it. PERIOD, end of story.

    And how about letting the loyal user base have it BEFORE everyone else this time. MS OWN loyal user base has been forced to wait for things like Photosynth App on the phone etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc.

  • Guest

    First thing I want is for them to get the STUPID SHITTY Skype UI revamped.

  • http://twitter.com/Shadow_024 Shadow 024

    I think the obvious are Xbox and WP7, being integrated directly into your contacts as another way to message and talk (video and phone) with them on both platforms, similar to how MSN/WL is now.  The Skype program probably wouldn’t be directly integrated into windows 7/8 as far as I can see, besides being placed in the default installs. 

    I personally would like to see the WL messanger and skype being integrated together so you can cross call/chat and see contacts from the other.

  • http://twitter.com/EduardoMLD EduardoMLD

    Oh and by the way, updates should go through the Windows Update :D

  • Aaron Rodriguez

    Xbox, WP7 (actual people/messaging hub integration…. not an app), Windows 8 (wlm and metro app), Lync and then bring it to ios/android so it becomes the standard.

    They key to this is they all need to be able to talk to each other…. A lync account should be able to talk to xbox, etc.

  • Mykel

    3 screens and a cloud.. Skype’s blue cloud. ;)

  • Corbac

    I love the skype functionality as messaging and calling, but I positively hate the skype client with its today pop-up and never starting minimized… So if the skype protocol can be integrated in the messenger client, and in wp7, I would be sooo happy! (And my computer will thanks me to eliminate one program at starting)

  • k7

    Full integration of Skype with Live ID and with WP7 / XBox. More along the lines of Google Voice. 

  • http://www.facebook.com/aerosmillie David Smillie

    X-box and WP7…..ASAP :)

  • http://twitter.com/fcristallo Frank Crystal

    Windows live messeger. Two similiar softwares must be unified

  • Anonymous

    Outlook please.  It would be great to be able to kick off a Skype call directly from Outlook Contacts. 

    Add Skype details as a field in Exchange Contacts so they’re available in Outlook and the People Hub in WP7.  That would be cool.

    Maybe IE as well.  There used to be a Skype add-in that turned phone numbers into a Skype link so that could make a comeback.  That might have been for Firefox but add it to IE.

    WLM seems obvious.  Make it multi-client if necessary.

    • Anonymous

      Outlook works with Lync. If you’re using Outlook with an Exchange server then your organization should or probably has looked at Lync.

    • Anonymous

      There’s no reason why they can’t offer both.

    • Kieran

      It still is in IE I have it for IE9

  • Anonymous

    Wp7 please, make it so that you can add people with usernames doe.

  • http://twitter.com/laserfloyd Lewis McCrary

    Everything* from here on out.  Does that narrow it down enough? :)

    *of course with an option to disable or not run it as not everyone will have a need for it.

  • Anonymous

    First, integrate Skype ID with Windows Live ID (exactly as they have done with Facebook/Linked In). Once they do that – many things are possible (XBox, Messenger, Skype contacts on the phone etc…). Everything starts with the WLID.

    • Anonymous

      live is dreadful

    • Anonymous

      Congratulations. You spectacularly failed to grasp the point I was making.
      Every consumer “thing” that Microsoft does is accessed using WLID – once Skype ID & WLID are integrated together then it opens up those products/services to Skype as well.

      Anything else to add or have you settled back under your bridge?

    • Anonymous

      tell me one live I’d service which is better than the competition.. Xbox live.. On wp7 oh please  come one. The live name stands for dreadful experience on my part .. Even more annoying I noticed just last week that if you update your msn status it updates to your Linked in status as well.. Which is very stupid.. MSN is supposed to be personal , LinkedIn is supposed to be professional . Leave live and skype to do their own thing .  

    • Anonymous

      “tell me one live I’d service which is better than the competition.. Xbox
      live.. On wp7 oh please  come one. The live name stands for dreadful
      experience on my part .. Even more annoying I noticed just last week
      that if you update your msn status it updates to your Linked in status
      as well.. Which is very stupid.. MSN is supposed to be personal ,
      LinkedIn is supposed to be professional . Leave live and skype to do
      their own thing .”
      Not one single thing you said here is relevant to the point I originally made. Your opinions about Windows Live ID, whilst being valid opinions, have nothing to do with my point that Skype ID needs to be integrated with Windows Live ID.

      Any other pearls of wisdom to share?

    • Anonymous

      @jtorrents:disqus why is live ID dreadful? or any of the Live services or offerings for that matter?

    • Anonymous

      The name “live” is dreadful .. At least to me. I t represents halfbaked services.. Xbox live on my wp7 is just a marketing gimmick to charge extra for games.. It has no extra value aside some flimsy virtual points .

      Hotmail.. Well we all know what it is now .. Even with the so called recent improvements  ots still trailing behind Gmail.. The name live doesn’t represent quality in ny opinion .. Leave it as it is Skype is better !

    • Anonymous

      excuse me @jrtorrents:disqus and you are? Look you don’t like a service or a product don’t buy it. But don’t try to come on a public forum and explain a point of view that makes no sense to anyone else but you.

      Live services is broader and more challenging than your little brain can handle. Who are you to try and incinuate that the word “live” means half baked or unfinished? That’s the most rediculous thing I’ve ever heard in a long long long while.

    • Tuxplorer

      Windows Live services are FAR better than the crappy and shittty and pathetic Google services. Hotmail is INFINITELY better than the fugly and unusable Gmail. That’s why there are 370 million Hotmail users versus only 190 million Gmail users.

      Windows Live services offer great integration in Windows Phone 7 and Windows 8. They are wonderful already, but by adding Skype Microsoft will make Windows Live experience out of this world. Google stinks. Microsoft FTW.

    • Anonymous

      Look.. Am not in the mood for fanboys arguement.. Microsoft admitted itself that they lost their way to Google with regards to hotmail and Gmail and that people should give hotmail second look during their recent Hotmail event.  If you talking about number why don’t you compare wp7 figures to android numbers.. Numbers are not it all.. I think wp7 is way better than android but wp7 sales figures are hideous.. numbers doesn’t say it all in anyway hotmail had a six year headstart . . And talk of windows 8 just makes you lame as its not even beta stage yet… Come back when you have a better arguement.

    • Tuxplorer

      @jrtorrents:disqus I didn’t say Hotmail is better than Gmail BECAUSE it has more users. I said Hotmail has more users BECAUSE it is better than Gmail. Hotmail is better than Gmail because it has a much more beautiful UI, has better features, prevents spam, integrates well with other Microsoft Services etc.

      Windows Live Messenger, Calendar and most importantly SkyDrive are by far the best web services available anywhere in the world. Windows Live is a great asset for Microsoft. And it will get even better when Skype is integrated.

      Windows 8 with its beautiful Metro UI, and Windows Live integration will drive crApple’s iPad out of the market.

    • Anonymous

      Don’t want to say I told you so ….oh, who am I kidding…that’s EXACTLY what I want to do.

      With rather suitable timing here’s an article that points out how important Windows Live ID is: http://www.wired.com/epicenter/2011/10/three-screens-and-a-cloud/.
      My point was not that any of the Live Services are any better or worse than anything else, my point was that Windows Live ID is key to making Microsoft”s properties working together but I guess you were too busy trolling to realise that. Your mention of Hotmail versus GMail (whilst being a valid point) is totally and utterly irrelevant.

      Making you should come back when you understand what you’re arguing AGAINST!

  • J A

    I think MS has almost all bases covered. Just integrate Skype with Messenger, Lync (hence Outlook/Office Suite, SharePoint, CRM, etc), Windows Phone, Xbox, Win8, etc.

  • Chris

    I agree with you Rojo. Im sure thats what Microsoft was aiming for during the acquisition but it will be nice to see it action. This is completely off topic but i would also like to see “Chat” enabled in my XBOX Live tile on my phone. The ability to join a party or a private chat from my phone.

  • Anonymous

    I would like a WPF / Silverlight / .Net control that I can drop into my .net apps to add the ability to call via skype. (I guess an HTML 5 control would be cool too but that’s lower on my priority list.)

    I would also like to see it integrated into Windows Phone but in a siri-like way. I’d like to be able to say “call Joe with skype” and have it call, then let me start talking right away.

    I would also like to see it integrated directly into Windows 8. It should be a charm, or something like that. My apps that can produce content, especially audio content, should be able to stream that content over a Skype connection.

  • http://twitter.com/mdtauk martin anderson

    Could I just have a new Windows Client software, one that has a metro/zune software like design

  • http://FACEBOOK.COM/LANCETDAVIS LANCE

    can we get skype to look at (record) our eyes looking at the camera (put those eyes in our face) and let us “look” at each other while talking? no one has that

  • Anonymous

    I would love to see it integrated everywhere it makes sense to integrate (i.e., Messenger, Windows Phone, Windows 8, perhaps Outlook) and not in software that doesn’t make sense (i.e., Word, Excel, Powerpoint).

  • http://www.callumpy.co.uk Callumpy

    Just Xbox and Windows Phone for me. Itll be nice to use Skype to talk to people over xbox live. They will probably need to get rid of the 100 friend limit too for this :)

  • Anonymous

    Windows 7.5.1, Xbox, Windows 7 SP2, Lync in some form.

  • http://twitter.com/cris178 Cristian

    hotmail and if microsoft comes around and tries to make one last zune then that two.

  • Matthew Bell

    I want them to ingegrate Skype and live messenger as one software product. Have Skype handle the Video end of things and Live messenger the chat, just merge the two.

  • Penta2100

    I  for one would like to see Skype as a viable solution for phone calls.

  • Fate-Kun

    I think they should integrate Office with Skype, letting you share files and edit them together, present files like Powerpoint through Skype.
    Integrate WLM to Skype or Skype to WLM.
    Integrate the video chat windows so that they can stay on top of fullscreen videos so you can live video chat while playing strategic games.
    boradcast the Desktop so others can see what your doing sort of like a presentation mode but with the webcam video tucked away in the corner of the screen so you can still see who your presenting to and so they can see you

    • Anonymous

      Thats what Lync does.. Look it up

    • Anonymous

      MSFT didn’t buy Skype for a superior technology, but to acquire a user base they can hopefully monetize in a big way. Of course at $8.5 billion up front cash, how long will it take to get ROI, if ever?

    • Anonymous

      Did you even read what I wrote ?

  • Anonymous

    Mobile clients for Windows Phone 7, 7.5 and Windows Mobile 6.5 please.

  • Anonymous

    I can already hear the raging of Skype fanboys promising to quit the platform…

  • Mtehran5

    please integrate the live video chat with skype , because skype respones better under low internet bandwith.

  • Archtech

    Integrate across all Windows Live services especially to Messenger (Maybe rebranding Messenger. Also please with Conference call, we are looking this for years have it free with unobtrusive ads but Skype subscription or Windows Live subscription support is welcome), Xbox Live with full Kinect utilization (Kinect for Windows support also), Windows Phone 7 Tango (But I also hope even partial integration in Mango under updates), Windows 8 full integration (Hoping for no more lawsuits since they even integrate MSE in Defender), Microsoft Office especially Lync (Conference Call and professional class collaboration built-in) and Outlook (Contacts integration and works with Lync and Messenger). :)

    • Archtech

      One more thing, Media Center also in Windows 8 if Microsoft still want to really include it. Almost forgot that.

  • Grannyville7989

    The least I’m asking for a better designed UI for the client. I couldn’t stand the way Skype looked on Windows and Mac.

  • gary

    I would like to see integration with wm6.5

    I can see this heading for the european courts……………then they will have to sell skype unbundled versions of their software as well

  • richie b

    I want to use my MS login, not a separate Skype account.