Late last week reports began to circulate that Facebook would be engaging in a more in-depth partnership with Skype to offer in-browser video chat. Well the speculation is now over, and the rumors were true… Facebook is getting Skype-powered video chat.

If you’re interested in specific features and interesting tidbits about the partnership, I’ll be live-blogging them below. (Please excuse the typos, I’ll clean them up after the announcement concludes).

- Event / announcement has started.
- Zucks has a pretty hot purple laptop.
- Interesting fact, sharing is growing faster than user growth.
- Another fact: 4 billion things shared every day
- Group Chat, New Design, Video Calling has now been announced

- Video calling is being powered by Skype
- 50% of people on Facebook use Groups
- Zucks hands off the announcement to the lead developer
- Facebook is rolling out an expanded chat window
- Today they’re rolling out video calling
- On to the demo of video calling, with Phillip from the Seattle Facebook office
- If your friend is online, with one click on the video call button you can video chat with them
- Start a video call button is being added to the chat window

- They’re now talking about what into making in simplistic for all users
- Downloads should happen within the browser within 30 seconds with 2 clicks
- Tony Bates, CEO of Skype, is now taking the stage
- Skype traffic is 50% video calling
- They began thinking about how to deep integrate the two services together
- Skype loves the partnership, and they have a shared vision
- “We’re talking about potentially having Skype paid products within the web format we’re discussing today” – Skype CEO
- Zucks is going back over the three new / re-done chat elements

- First question is what do they think of Google+ hangouts
- Zucks says that he’s not going to talk much about Google+, since no one has spent much time on it.
- Skype paid products within Facebook will be coming in the future
- Skye’s not worried about losing traffic to Facebook
- No mobile integration yet… breath a sigh of relief carriers
- Question: any revenue sharing? Answer: This is the same free Skype service they offer… so there is no revenue to speak of, respectively
- Question: What is the overlap between Skype and Facebook… this stumped everyone, as they don’t track this data at this time.
- Tony is quick to correct Zucks about Skype not being owned by Microsoft yet – deal is subject to regulatory approval
- Facebook has focused on Groups, they found the majority of users didn’t want to take enough time to configure stuff for themselves.
- Apps is the biggest trend / driver for Facebook – with mobile being the second
- With that the event is over.
- Now they’re showing an advertisement for Skype powered video chat
- numerous languages being featured, even sign language – nice touch
- “Facebook + Skype” closes out the advertisement