Skype Seeks More Points of Access, Gives Developers Skypekit
Ever think of having Skype on your wristwatch? That possibility might not be too far off! Skype has just launched a new SDK named SkypeKit. The development tool consists of a collection of APIs that enables any internet-connected device to run Skype.
Ever since launching several years back, Skype has come a long way, finding itself integrated with mobile phones and smart TVs. But with SkypeKit, anything is possible. Skype will soon be found everywhere, bound only by the imagination of developers.
“At Skype, we believe that every connected device is, potentially, a communications device. We envision a future in which you’ll see and converse with the people in your life no matter where you are or what you’re doing — sitting in your car, watching TV in your living room, or just checking the time.”
Currently, SkypeKit is supported by Linux and uses SILK as its audio compression codec. “The value of the codec is in the breadth of its adoption,” says Christensen, “we want it to be a common codec.” In a few weeks, the SDK wil be extended to other platforms like Windows and Mac.
Skype believes that in order to have a wider reach, Skype should be interconnected. The SkypeKit prompts hardware makers and software developers to integrate Skype to almost any type of device. Skype needs to expand as it faces a growing competition in Google, Facebook, Tango and many others. An emerging competitor is Kik Messenger. The real-time group messenger has gone viral over the last couple of months with 4 million users. That’s a big leap from its 3 million users last April 2011. Just recently, Kik Messenger has found its way to Windows Phone 7. This makes Kik one of the first group messenger tools to reach across iPhone, Android, Blackberry, and WP7 platforms.
Certainly this a huge step for Skype, after being acquired by Microsft with a hefty price tag of $8.5 billion. After introducing a new interface for encoding cameras and adding a 3G calling feature for Android users, one might wonder what is next for Skype. It’s left to the developer community to answer that question.
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