Skype is still rapidly growing its user base: Its 560 million registered users figure is up 41% year-over-year. For those who asked: Most of Skype’s users don’t pay the company a penny, but some pay for extra services, such as the ability to connect to a landline or wireless line. Skype says it has 560 million registered users, and 124 million who use it at least once a month. Of those, 8.1 million are paying an average of $96 a year. "Classic freemium," as AllThingsD's Peter Kafka tweets.
In the filing, Skype says
—From last January until eBay sold the majority of Skype in November 2009, the service did $626.5 million in sales, but recorded a net loss of $269 million.
—It wants to grow its consumer business “by improving awareness and adoption of our paid products and introducing premium products such as group video calling”, and by adding new revenue streams like “marketing services (such as advertising) and licensing”.
In a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Monday, Skype said it plans to use the money it raises from the IPO for "general business purposes" as it pursues a strategy to grow both its base of free users and paid subscribers, increase its marketing and advertising revenue, and expand its services for businesses.
In its SEC filing, Skype said that most of its revenue currently comes from fees its charges for its SkypeOut service, which it also wants to see grow and which lets users make calls outside of the Skype domain to regular phone lines and mobile devices.
Skype says: “It is our goal to continue to grow both our connected and paying users as Internet access proliferates globally and our penetration increases.
“We believe the scale, global distribution and growth of our user base provide us with powerful network effects, whereby Skype becomes more valuable as more people use it, thereby creating an incentive for existing users to encourage new users to join….
“We believe our business is also characterized by low operating and capital expenditures as a result of the strong network effects that help us grow our user base, our strong communications brand, which we have built despite low levels of marketing spending, and the low-cost peer-to-peer architecture that does not require us to build or maintain a network.”
Oh, and by the way, if you are looking for mobile java skype.jar, according to official Skype support site (see below), java version called also Skype Lite is not available to download. What does it mean to users? find skype.jar somewhere else. Don't worry - Softpedia takes care of this little problem.
More programs by Skype Limited
Skype (iPhone) 2.1.1update Skype gives you free calls and instant messages to anyone else on Skype. You can also call landlines an... | Size: Platform: License: Rating: Downloads: Updated: | 5.40 MB iPhone Freeware Good (3.5/5) 8 August 17th, 07:06 UTC |  |
Skype (S60) 1.1.0 / 1.1.0.7update Make calls and chat for free, whenever you have a WiFi or 3G connection. | Size: Platform: License: Rating: Downloads: Updated: | 4.20 MB Symbian Freeware Excellent (5.0/5) 3 July 7th, 12:50 UTC |  |
Skype (Smartphone) 3.0.0.256 betaupdate Make calls and chat for free, whenever you have a WiFi or 3G connection. | Size: Platform: License: Rating: Downloads: Updated: | 11.51 MB Windows Mobile Smart... Freeware Good (3.3/5) 19 May 13th, 12:32 UTC |  |
Skype (Pocket PC) 3.0.0.256 betaupdate Make calls and chat for free, whenever you have a WiFi or 3G connection. | Size: Platform: License: Rating: Downloads: Updated: | 11.51 MB Windows Mobile Pocke... Freeware Good (3.9/5) 38 May 13th, 12:32 UTC |  |
Skype Lite (Sony Ericsson) 1.2.11update Call and IM friends from your mobile phone. | Size: Platform: License: Rating: Downloads: Updated: | 349 MB Java Freeware Good (3.9/5) 108 February 22nd, 13:10 UTC |  |
Skype Lite (Samsung) 1.2.11update Call and IM friends from your mobile phone. | Size: Platform: License: Rating: Downloads: Updated: | 329 MB Java Freeware Good (3.6/5) 51 February 22nd, 11:47 UTC |  |
Skype Lite (Motorola) 1.2.11update Call and IM friends from your mobile phone. | Size: Platform: License: Rating: Downloads: Updated: | 300 KB Java Freeware Good (3.4/5) 8 February 22nd, 11:40 UTC |  |
Skype Lite (LG) 1.2.11update Call and IM friends from your mobile phone. | Size: Platform: License: Rating: Downloads: Updated: | 301 KB Java Freeware Good (3.8/5) 10 February 22nd, 11:36 UTC |  |
Skype Lite (Nokia) 1.2.11update Call and IM friends from your mobile phone. | Size: Platform: License: Rating: Downloads: Updated: | 282 KB Java Freeware Good (3.9/5) 253 February 22nd, 11:18 UTC |  |
According to official Skype support site:
"Why can’t I download Skype Lite or Skype for Windows® phones?
Unfortunately, Skype Lite – a version of Skype for your mobile phone – and Skype for Windows phones are no longer available for download from our site.
We’ve chosen to withdraw Skype Lite and Skype for Windows phones because we want to offer our new customers an improved mobile experience – much like the version that has proved so popular on the iPhone, and which is now available on Symbian phones. Our focus is on providing a rich user experience that allows you to enjoy free Skype-to-Skype and low cost calls as easily on the move as you do at your desktop.
We felt that Skype Lite and Skype for Windows phones were not offering the best possible Skype experience.
Can I still use Skype Lite if I already have it?
Yes. People who have already installed Skype Lite can continue to use it throughout 2010.
Can I still use Skype for Windows phones if I already have it?
Yes. People who have already installed Skype for Windows phones can of course continue to use it."
read more about IPO:
businessweek.com
businessinsider.com
Skype API For Java (English)
