Future of Skype

Jan Castro
301101256
Tech 114 D203
Techpost 3

The Future of Skype

The year is 2059. In the dust of the digital era comes a new ‘networked era’. This is an age where the coined term ‘digital divide’ (Wellman, B., & Hogan, B., 2004) no longer exists and technology, more specifically the internet, is accessible around the world at anytime anywhere. Consequently, companies dependent on the internet achieve soaring profits and customer volume. One of these companies is the world renowned Skype. Skype’s huge success is wildly based on the creation of the Skypephone and the S-Bay.

In 2007, Skype announced the Skypephone (Skype Limited, 2009). One year later Skype’s developers have enabled the use of Skype on more than 50 internet connected phones (Skype Limited, 2009). With the ever expanding variety and accessibility of smart phones, internet can be used by mobiles around the world especially when the 3G network was created in 2001 (UMTS, 2005). The Skypephone provides communication through a variety of mediums and distances for one very flat monthly rate. Zero dollars. Although there’s no monthly fee, an initial $199 is needed to buy the phone. However, customers who are a part of the 97% of the population (grown from 60% in 2009 (Murph, 2009)) who uses a cell phone can download Skype for free at their website. This phone provides all of the original Skype program’s functionalities. The phone can file transfer, video conference, instant message, and call other Skypephones, smart phones, landlines, and PCs. This all wouldn’t be made possible without the creation of the 4G network in 2035. The 4G network uses old network systems like the 3G network, broadband and the historical radio towers, and mixes them with newer satellites and stronger radio frequencies which can transmit farther and faster. The creation of the 4G network broke the ‘digital divide’ and changed society forever. Now information is growing at an alarming rate because of its consumption and easy accessibility (Rowland, 2006) and the term global village really became global. With free cell phone services, huge traditional telephony companies are losing money due to Skype’s unique business model (“The meaning of free speech”, 2005) and thus became bankrupt giving the Skypephone a monopoly over cell phone services. This monopoly began during 2009’s sinking economy where Skype saw 30 million new users a quarter whom sought out cheaper ways to communicate (Farrell, 2009).

Now many companies could not provide services without some form of income. Since the Skypephone only generates profits through selling mobile devices, Skype Lmt needed a higher source of income. This was found through the creation of the S-Bay. Society didn’t know it then but when Ebay bought Skype in 2005 (“The meaning of free speech”, 2005) the world would change. Ebay brought forth a new form of business and Paypal to Skype’s already deadly arsenal. So in 2036 after Skype’s new founded monopoly over telephony communications, they employed their new program, the S-Bay. By using their Skypephone, customers can purchase anything anywhere with a simple voice command or fingerprint. The S-Bay merges Paypal technology with Skypephone’s smart phone capabilities. To authorise a payment a customer would simply have to say ‘yes’ to their Skypephone and a voice recognising program will either approve or decline depending on if it is the appropriate owner of the Paypal account. In addition to the voice recogniser, an option of a fingerprint sample adds double protection to authorising a payment. Since the Skypephone and most smart phones are now touch screen a customer would simply put their finger(s) on the screen and a program will sense if it’s who they say they are. With this brilliant program customers can quickly purchase products over the internet by having their information automated with their DNA. The S-Bay can even be used to purchase products while in store by simply going up to the cashier and proving the payment. Consumers can use the S-Bay monthly with a low rate of $19. The S-Bay revolutionises the world of buying and selling, wallets can now even be replaced by Skypephones. Thus making life a lot simpler and faster in this ‘networked era’.

Works Cited

Farrell, N. (2009, January 9). Skype is the limit thanks to recession . Retrieved April 9, 2009, from Fudzilla: http://www.fudzilla.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=11338&Itemid=1

Murph, D. (2009, March 3). Worldwide cellphone use hits 60 percent, developing nations largely to thank. Retrieved April 9, 2009, from Engadget: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/03/worldwide-cellphone-use-hits-60-percent-developing-nations-larg/

Rowland, W. (2006). Spirit of the Web. Toronto: Thomas Allen Publishers.

Skype Limited. (2009). Retrieved Febuary 9, 2009, from Skype Official Website: http://www.skype.com

UMTS. (2005). UMTS/ 3G History and Future Milestones. Retrieved April 9, 2009, from UMTSworld: http://www.umtsworld.com/umts/history.htm

Wellman, B., & Hogan, B. (2004). The Immanent Internet. Toronto: University of Toronto.