Skype IPO announced

Skype which started with a free desktop application for voice communications and has now released mobile versions of its very popular voice communication software will be having its IPO tentatively slated for the first half of 2010.

eBay Inc., the company that currently owns Skype, has announced that Skype will be moldedd into a separate stand-alone publicly traded company. This, according to eBay Inc’s CEO will allow Skype to reach its maximum potential. Skype has already experienced an improved performance in 2008 with its revenues increasing by 44 percent to $551 million. Registered users of Skype has also increased to 405 million — a 47 percent increase compared to 2007. The performance boost came in as Skype’s new management team was put in place by Donahoe — eBay’s CEO.

With Skype’s continued push into the mobile space, I think that it is very possible that Skype can attain the $1 billion revenue target of 2011. Skype has even released a version of Skype for the iPhone. You can read about the IPO announcement here.

The mobile space has been a growth industry even in the wake of the economic downturn simply because communication is a key component to put the world back on its track in terms of economy. The need to make decisions and communicate even outside of the office is key nowadays to improving business performance.