Microsoft"s 2011 acquisition of Skype for $8.5 billion has been official for several months now. However, Skype has yet to make a lot of impact in terms of integrating itself with Microsoft"s products. We have seen a beta version of Skype released for Windows Phone 7.5 in February but we have yet to see Skype integration for other Microsoft products.
Now a new job listing at Microsoft (via WPSauce.com) shows that the Skype division is working on a project that would allow Skype users to connect via a web browser-based client. The listing states:
You will have a chance to integrate existing Skype solutions on to the web with the support of the backend services build from the ground up using latest Microsoft technologies. Result of your work will be used by hundreds millions of thankful users worldwide.
It"s currently unknown how Skype will be programming its web-based version but it seems reasonable to assume that it will be HTML5-based, since Microsoft has been promoting the heck out of HTML5 web applications and games on its Internet Explorer web site. A browser version of Skype would allow the Internet phone and video service to be accessed by pretty much any platform with a compatible web browser.