Microsoft is finalizing negotiations to acquire Skype for as
much as $8 billion, according to a new report. Meanwhile, a new version
of Skype for Mac has been released, fixing a critical vulnerability.
The Wall Street Journal reports that a deal between Microsoft and Skype could be announced as early as
Tuesday, according to people familiar with the matter. The deal is
expected to cost Microsoft between $7 billion and $8 billion, with the
total value reaching about $8.5 billion once Skype's long-term debt is
taken into account.
Skype was founded in 2003 and has since grown to 663 million registered users. In 2005, eBay purchased Skype for $2.6 billion, but sold 70 percent of the company to private investors in 2009.