Skype closes its developers ecosystem

September 12, 2009 | Author: Adam Levine
Skype Extras

It seems that the new Skype owners prefer a shock therapy. Today they decided to close Skype Extras - add-on applications created by third-party developers. Today there are few hundreds of these add-ons in the catalog, and among them Pamela (for call recording), Skylook (plug-in for Outlook), Yugma (web-conferencing) and others. For some developers it was a primary business model. The official reason is that not enough customers where using and paying for these extras, so it's not profitable for company to support this ecosystem.

Starting today no more applications will be certified and added to Skype Extras. The existing apps will be available until their certification expires. And on Dec 11 Skype users will not be able to pay for extras and the developers will stop receiving money.  At the same time Skype API won't be closed.

So, that's how Skype gets rid of not profitable assets. But how much do they value the trust of developers, that will never come back?

See also: Top 10 VoIP services

Author: Adam Levine
Adam is an expert in project management, collaboration and productivity technologies, team management, and motivation. With an extensive background working at prestigious companies such as Microsoft and Accenture, Adam's in-depth knowledge and experience in the field make him a sought-after professional. Currently, he has ventured into entrepreneurship, owning a thriving consulting and training agency where he imparts invaluable insights and practical strategies to individuals and organizations, empowering them to achieve their goals and maximize their potential. You can contact Adam via email adam@liventerprise.com