Pat Logsdon
09-03-2004, 05:10 PM
<img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/logsdon_niklas_zennstrom.jpg" />Niklas Zennström is the CEO and Co-Founder of Skype Ltd. Prior to that, he was the CEO and co-founder of KaZaA. With an impressive resume by any standards, Mr. Zennström has been interviewed by quite a few major publications, so I'm pleased that he took the time to speak with me about PocketSkype.<br /><br />For those of you who have been living under a rock, Skype is a telephony client that allows a PC to call other Skype users, or even regular telephones (with SkypeOut service). PocketSkype is the Pocket PC verison of the software. To my knowledge, this is the first interview in the world to be conducted entirely via PocketSkype. 8) He was using an iPAQ 4150 and I was using an iPAQ 2210.<br /><br />Read on for the interview!<!><br /><PAGEBREAK><br /><br /><i><b>THOUGHTS: Skype already has a large following of desktop users. Why have you decided to create a mobile client, and more specifically, why the Pocket PC platform?</b></i><br /><br />Niklas: People should be able to use the software regardless of what kind of computer they use, either mobile or in front of the desktop. We are developing Skype for several different platforms, including other platforms later on. We decided to develop for the Pocket PC platform first because it is the largest base of available PDAs with WiFi networking. When you have a combination with WiFi networking and Skype, it’s quite powerful. When you’re out and about and travelling, in your office, in your home, it’s very convenient to use Skype with your Pocket PC.<br /><br /><i><b>THOUGHTS: Are you planning on developing clients for other mobile operating systems?</b></i><br /><br />Niklas: We are looking at other PDA operating systems, like Palm and Symbian, but no decisions have been made. We hope that we can do that, but we haven’t made any specific decisions yet.<br /><br /><i><b>THOUGHTS: Does PocketSkype work with Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition, and do you have plans to support the Pocket PC 2002 operating System once you're out of beta? </b></i><br /><br />Niklas: One thing we discovered for the first beta version was that it wasn’t working for PPC2002. We can look at it – how much effort it will be, we don’t know yet, and we haven’t decided yet.<br /><br /><i><b>THOUGHTS: You've said in the past that Skype will continue to be free beyond the beta phase, after which you'd charge for premium services. How does Pocket Skype fit into that model? Will it be treated the same as the desktop client? </b></i><br /><br />Niklas: It will continue to be free, no matter what the client software is. It will be free to make calls, and we’ll be selling value added services such as SkypeOut, which makes it possible to make calls to the telephone.<br /><br /><i><b>THOUGHTS: Can you explain what SkypeOut is? When will it be available for Pocket PC users? </b></i><br /><br />Niklas: SkypeOut will be available soon for the Pocket PC. It will hopefully come in at the same time or shortly after the Windows version. There will be a charge because we cannot use the phone network for free. We will have very competitive pricing. SkypeIn will allow calls from regular phones to Skype users, and will be available sometime in the fall.<br /><br /><i><b>THOUGHTS: Senator Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) has introduced a bill (INDUCE) aimed at peer to peer networks, saying that network operators should be held liable for creating technologies that enable users to house pirated materials on their computers. Do you plan to add file sharing capability to Skype, and if so, how do you think this type of legislation will affect your company? </b></i><br /><br />Niklas: We have no plans to add filesharing, so there is no impact. Today the focus of VoIP is telephony and instant messaging, but we have no plans to make it into a filesharing application.<br /><br /><i><b>THOUGHTS: Is Skype taking any action against any pending regulations or legislation that could threaten your "flavor" of VoIP, either from the FCC in the US, or any other legislating body? </b></i><br /><br />Niklas: We are monitoring the developments and responding to many consultations both from the FCC and from European regulators. The good news is that both are on the same track, and [believe that] VOIP should not be regulated.<br /><br /><i><b>THOUGHTS: Do you have a time frame for when video capability will be available? Do you expect it to work for the desktop client only, or will the Pocket PC client be included? </b></i><br /><br />Niklas: Video is being looking into, but there is no immediate release schedule. We are still experimenting. In general, what we do is we make features first for the Windows application, and following that, we’ll make it available on other platforms. Pocket PC is more limited, so we don’t know to what extent it will be possible.<br /><br /><i><b>THOUGHTS: In the United States, T-Mobile offers free GPRS data for most phone plans, and unlimited data plans are becoming more popular in many countries. Do you see this is as a possible market for Skype? </b></i><br /><br />Niklas: GPRS is possible sometimes, sometimes not. It depends on how much bandwidth is available. In many cases, it doesn’t have sufficient upstream capacity. With 3g data, Skype works perfectly. I use it myself and it works very very well. Obviously if you have a 3g data plan with unlimited capacity you can talk without any additional fees.<br /><br /><i><b>THOUGHTS: Are you worried about competition from existing phone network operators? </b></i><br /><br />Niklas: ATT has already launched their services, but it’s very limited. Although they’re using the internet, it’s still POTS service in the sense that you’re making calls through the public phone network, and you’re being charged for it. The functionality features are identical to what you have in your old network. With Skype it’s different because the objective is to make free calls, with the combination of free instant messaging.<br /><br /><i><b>THOUGHTS:Thank you for your time!</b></i><br /><br />Niklas: No problem!<br /><br /><i>(Special thanks to Kat James of Skype, whose help was invaluable!)</i>