Funny that the very day Google launched their Jabber/XMPP-based Instant Messenger (the now famous Google Talk), Skype retaliated by releasing their own IM APIs, allowing web site developers to incorporate presence data, and 3rd party to develop their own Skype client. It is worth nothing though that these APIs only cover the (otherwise excellent) IM part of Skype, not the most popular service – voice calls.
CNet reports in this article:
Skype believes it can be a significant threat to instant messaging giants Yahoo, MSN and America Online. With 51 million registered usernames, Skype IM is potentially twice the size of Yahoo's instant messaging community, and six times that of America Online, according to figures provided by Skype.
Skype Journal does a great job at providing more details on the annoucement:
SkypeWeb: Creating a web of availability
Skype will launch a web presence server solution under the name SkypeWeb. This will be supported in a new client release (we don't know when) which will broadcast your presence data via preferences in the client. Apparently a new bit of code in the P2P network will ping status updates every five second to a presence server. Presence information will be availabie in the form of an ATOM feed which will enable presence updates and also enable contact lists. All list detail is said to be controlled by the user. Thus the Atom feed will push presence data direct from the Skype client enabling contact lists for a circle of friends. The general idea space is good. Details? Client? We don't know yet.SkypeNet: Stripped down client extends Developer opportunities
Skype will open up presence and IM functionality to the whole world under the name SkypeNet. It's unknown whether this will include file sharing. SkypeNet is made up of SkypeLite clients --- a headless Skype client, without user interface, that can be integrated into any application. This should let you build Skype servers and web services. It should help Skype become enabled in programs like Trillian, make Skype more interesting for online game publishers, and create opportunities for business applications that need to scale. This is a huge gap in their architecture and, depending on execution, SkypeNet may fill it.
Make sure to read Stuart’s take on Skype’s challenges.
Client plug: I can’t help but mentioning that web and online community developers interested in adding powerful communication tools can take advantage of Userplane’s zero download instant-on products: chat room, instant messaging, web recording, etc. Over 3,000 web sites use these tools today (including MySpace, Friendster, eHarmony,…) aggregating millions of unique users monthly. Don’t hesitate to ask if you have any question. The price ? Free to begin with.
Tag: googletalk, skype, userplane
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