Skype adds ads to desktop software

By on Mar 7, 2011 at 6:31 PM
Software March 7, 2011

Skype announced on Monday that it will soon add advertisements to its desktop software. The move is thought to be an effort to introduce a new revenue stream ahead of the company’s IPO, which will occur this year. The new display ads will be rolled out in the U.S., U.K. and Germany this week, and they will appear on the Home tab of Skype’s desktop software. Initial ad buys that will begin running as soon as Skype’s new ads go live come from companies including Groupon, Universal Pictures and Visa. While Skype’s long-term plans remain unclear, the company said that it will initially only display ads from a single brand each day. For the time being, Skype’s ads will appear only in its Windows client, not its Mac application.

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17 Comments

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  • Dan

    This is for free users right? There’s no way I’ll continue my PAID subscription and have to put up with ads in the application.

    • Anonymous

      Only one way to find out.

      • Dan

        I’m in Canada, so this won’t affect me – yet. Still, if paying customers get ads, that would be a huge punch in the balls to them.

      • Anonymous

        Let’s just wait and see if Skype does add ads to they’re paying Subscribers.

    • serpentor

      I just read the blog post on skype. Doesn’t say anything about excluding paid subscribers so I guess everyone’s affected.

  • Anonymous

    Just more ads to block…
    I will not be seeing ads in skype’s new app.

  • http://twitter.com/TimHainesPhotog Tim Haines

    G’bye, Skype. Nice knowin’ ya. Ads on our websites and inboxes are quite enough for us, thank you.

    • http://beenswank.net brandonmccall

      What email client are using where you see ads displayed in your inbox?

      • http://twitter.com/TimHainesPhotog Tim Haines

        I’m talking about mailing lists that people don’t realize they add themselves to, which generate legit-junk email. The point is we’re already overloaded with a-holes trying to sell us crap on the internet (and I don’t just mean the spammers). You cant take a breath without an ad being shoved in your face online (and don’t even get me started on the wall-to-wall ad experience at movie theaters). Where does it end? I’ll tell you where; it ends with Skype.

      • http://beenswank.net brandonmccall

        The trouble with living in Persuasion Nation…

  • opiapr

    No big deal. I dont see why some will cry for something so silly like a small ad in an unused part of the software.

    • http://twitter.com/TimHainesPhotog Tim Haines

      It’s only silly if you ignore the principal of the issue. I’m tired of “small ads” being vomited everywhere because they all add up.

  • Bringit

    whatever.

  • http://beenswank.net brandonmccall

    I won’t cry about it. But I won’t update my current version of Skype either.

  • Mutia_54

    Good :)

  • http://twitter.com/rosenkrieger Bernd

    This explains why the Skype app has been getting a GUI overhaul (especially the Mac Version) – it wasted so much “white space” – and well, now we know what’s in store for the future…

  • Expat

    I cried about it briefly. Then removed Skype 5.2 and installed an older version. It works great!

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