Skype Hits Milestone 45M Concurrent Users – and Still Growing

Skype, with its powerful Microsoft backing, recently hit a high point when it passed the landmark number of 45 million concurrent users. Although that raw number of users is astounding enough, what’s truly exciting for the folks over at Skype is that the company’s growth is still underway and its momentum of acquiring new users seems unstoppable.

Skype now has the sheer number of users to be on par with a handful of globally significant communications applications. Compare the number of Skype’s user base with the 50 million Dolphin Browser users and the combined 500 million Android users. Analysts estimate the user base growth of widely popular communications apps to be at a monthly rate of eight percent.

Due to its ongoing success, Skype has expectedly amassed imitators along the way. Several companies rush to reproduce some of the features primarily associated with Skype. For instance, Apple’s FaceTime, Google+ Hangouts, and Google Talk have functions that are remarkably similar to what Skype offers. All three apps – FaceTime, Google+ Hangouts, and Google Talk – have sizeable networks of users and possess well-developed mobile platforms, but Skype is still riding the wave of the communications applications game and even shares the same user base with its competitors.

Skype is not slacking off, either. It is constantly finding new ways to better its services. In fact, the company is working to provide free Wi-Fi locations. That way, more Skype users can access its services in more places. This brings to mind the proliferation of phone booths of the previous era. In addition, Skype is also gearing towards enhancing its premium business solutions.

It is true that Skype’s communications solutions aren’t without problems because all video chat services have their own sets of problems. For most users, the question always revolves around which video chat service has the least number of issues.

Skype’s longevity, its tremendous potential for growth, and its appeal to major business companies  – like eBay, Facebook, and Microsoft  – which, at one time, considered to acquire it, all bode well for a communications application that is surprisingly staying strong in a market that has so many rival platforms. Skype’s steady growth rate can be attributed to its strong name recognition and its inherent versatility among many users who use the app as an alternative to long-distance calling.

With its Microsoft backing and its steadily growing user base, Skype evidently has competitive advantages. The company is expected to be a key player in future business communications environment. (KOM) Link