Skype Adding Ads

— 2 minute read

Back in May Microsoft bought Skype for $8.5 billion dollars. Now the pressure is on to not only recoup that money, but start making some money off all those conversations people are having. The solution, according to Skype, is advertising. And not just a little popup on the side of your Skype window, they've got "Conversation Ads" which are as disgusting as they sound:

While on a 1:1 audio call, users will see content that could spark additional topics of conversation that are relevant to Skype users and highlight unique and local brand experiences. So, you should think of Conversation Ads as a way for Skype to generate fun interactivity between your circle of friends and family and the brands you care about. Ultimately, we believe this will help make Skype a more engaging and useful place to have your conversations each and every day.

ArsTechnica.com has more, including the steps to opt out of personalized ads and a screenshot of how exciting and engaging a conversation ad will be for Skype users.

Luckily the new ads are only enabled in the Windows version of Skype for now and only on audio calls.

Makes using a traditional phone more attractive all the time.