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What does it mean if Skype buys Gizmo Project? This is a huge deal for the VOIP industry.  It is a big deal for something that keeps going thorough my mind “The next Billion” (meaning the next billion people to get mobile phones and get on the mobile web).  The first thing that came to mind when I heard about this potential acquisition is interoperability with Truphone.

If Skype buys Gizmo Pr0ject this means they would start using the SIP standard as far as I understand.  Using SIP means that Skype would suddenly be interoperable with services like Google Chat (including video and voice chat), Truphone, and many of the other VOIP services.

In Truphone’s case this is a big deal because they would suddenly have an added available user base of many many million potential users.  Truphone is the only widely known mobile VOIP (only, leaving out IM clients) client and they are very popular in some circles but unfortunately totally unknown in most.  The interoperability with Skype would give them in my opinion the potential for instant fame.  They would be the most known interoperable mobile VOIP client and suddenly be thrust into the spotlight.
As far as the “Next Billion” goes, I tend to see for example people in India using VOIP over Skype more often for a variety of reasons, including the ability to put mobile VOIP on Nokia phones more easily then Skype. The fact that Skype is the most used internet telephone in world suddenly being able to communicate with  mVOIP would give people in India the chance to communicate, with hundreds of millions of additional people the world over.  They would be able to do more business, talk to family and just interact with more people the world over.
Essentially besides Michael Robertson the creator of Gizmo Project and the GP board/investors, I think Truphone has the potential to come out gaining the most out of this acquisition.  It might work nicely for Nokia too being the easiest devices to put your SIP details into and start making calls.

I guess we’ll all just have to wait and see how all this play out, We may not know if Skype is going to buy Gizmo Project potentially until mid December because Skype is still trying to fight the lawsuits and come up with their own work around.  I don’t really foresee Skype wanting to part with the rumored $50 million for GP but they just may be backed into a corner.  If it does go thorough though it would be a huge win for Michael, so good luck to you and GP.

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