Can Skype turn Skype Lite
into Skype as a Platform?
One path to a developer-friendly Skype
Phil Wolff, editor, Skype Journal
November 2009
Phil Wolff, Skype Journal 2009

Skype Lite lets you chat
and call from non-smart
mobile phones
Phil Wolff, Skype Journal 2009

How Does it Work?
Phil Wolff, Skype Journal 2009

Skype Lite software runs on mobiles
Mobile Network
Skype
Lite
Client
Phil Wolff, Skype Journal 2009

Skype voice goes over
Mobile Network
the mobile carrier’s
voice channel.
Data over
Data
Data goes over the
Channel
mobile carrier’s data
channel.
Skype Voice over
Lite Voice
Client Channel
Phil Wolff, Skype Journal 2009

Skype servers join voice+data
Mobile Network Skype Servers
Data over Stream
Data Split/Merge
Channel
Skype Voice over
Lite Voice
Client Channel
Phil Wolff, Skype Journal 2009

The joined
Mobile Network Skype Servers
voice/data
goes to a
Data over
“naked”
Stream Naked
Data
Channel
Split/Merge Skype Skype
client
S
running on
Skype Voice over
Lite Voice
a Skype
Client Channel
server
Phil Wolff, Skype Journal 2009

Naked
Mobile Network Skype Servers
Skype
connects to
Data over
the Skype
Stream Naked
Data
Channel
Split/Merge Skype cloud
Skype
S P2P
Cloud
Skype Voice over
Lite Voice
Client Channel
Phil Wolff, Skype Journal 2009

The cloud connects you to Skypers
Mobile Network Skype Servers
Data over Stream Naked
Data Split/Merge Skype
Channel
Skype
S P2P
Cloud
Skype Voice over Skype-to-
Lite Voice Skype
Client Channel
Phil Wolff, Skype Journal 2009

…and to phone numbers
Mobile Network Skype Servers
SkypeOut
Data over Stream Naked
Data Split/Merge Skype
Channel
SkypeIn
Skype
S P2P
Cloud
Skype Voice over Skype-to-
Lite Voice Skype
Client Channel
Phil Wolff, Skype Journal 2009

There are many “naked” instances
Mobile Network Skype Servers
SkypeOut
Data over Stream Naked
Data Split/Merge Skype
Channel
S S SkypeIn
S S Skype
S S
S
S S S P2P
SS
S S Cloud
SS S
S
S S
S S
Skype Voice over S S S Skype-to-
S
Lite Voice S Skype
S S S
Client Channel S S
S
SS S
Phil Wolff, Skype Journal 2009

So there’s a management layer
Mobile Network Skype Servers
Admin Layer SkypeOut
Data over Stream Naked
Data Split/Merge Skype
Channel
S S SkypeIn
S S Skype
S S
S
S S S P2P
SS
S S Cloud
SS S
S
S S
S S
Skype Voice over S S S Skype-to-
S
Lite Voice S Skype
S S S
Client Channel S S
S
SS S
Phil Wolff, Skype Journal 2009

That’s how Skype Lite works
Mobile Network Skype Servers
Admin Layer SkypeOut
Data over Stream Naked
Data Split/Merge Skype
Channel
S S SkypeIn
S S Skype
S S
S
S S S P2P
SS
S S Cloud
SS S
S
S S
S S
Skype Voice over S S S Skype-to-
S
Lite Voice S Skype
S S S
Client Channel S S
S
SS S
Phil Wolff, Skype Journal 2009

SKYPE LITE DOES FOUR VALUABLE
THINGS
Phil Wolff, Skype Journal 2009

Hosts a “naked Skype” client
• Lightweight – without video, UI, cruft
• Reliable and Efficient
• Unified API
Phil Wolff, Skype Journal 2009

Separates user experience
from the network
• Teams can build different UIs for different
mobile devices
• Lowers compute and networking burden on
mobiles
• Easy to update everyone’s engine without
updating clients
• Metrics on usage rates to inform design and
operations
Phil Wolff, Skype Journal 2009

Defines a protocol
• Protocol connects mobile thin clients to the
Skype Gateway server
• Includes everything the mobile Skype client
can do (presence, chat, voice calls, profile
editing)
Phil Wolff, Skype Journal 2009

Scales the Gateway like a cloud
• Efficient:
– Many Lite clients with few Skype servers
• Flexible:
– Build and destroy instances with demand
• Location aware:
– Position instances to cut latency
Phil Wolff, Skype Journal 2009

Skype Lite is a private platform
1. Hosts a “naked Skype” client
2. Separates user experience from the network
3. Defines a protocol between the mobile thin
client and the Skype Gateway server
4. Scales the Gateway like a cloud
Phil Wolff, Skype Journal 2009

This creates an opportunity
Phil Wolff, Skype Journal 2009

What if we let other parties use
Skype’s Gateway?
Gateway
Web Apps
Embedded Devices S
Flash Apps
Business Systems
Desktop Apps
Operating Systems
Smartphone Apps
Phil Wolff, Skype Journal 2009

Skype can support more modes
Great for partners
3D Spatial
Video
Voice
Chat
Presence
Data
Mood
Phil Wolff, Skype Journal 2009

Skype could unify it’s APIs
• Making/taking Skype sessions
• Skype calls, IM, file transfer
• Skype account creation, deletion
• Skype profile editing
• Skype control panel for organizations
• Skype Credit deposits and payments
• Skype ID authentication (Login with Skype)
• More to come…
Phil Wolff, Skype Journal 2009

To complete the platform
• Find alternate means to distribute
– Skype’s Encryption binary
– Skype’s and third-party codecs
– Media assets (e.g. emoticons)
• SDKs for popular programming languages,
delivery systems
Phil Wolff, Skype Journal 2009

What do you get?
Phil Wolff, Skype Journal 2009

Skype Inside
Phil Wolff, Skype Journal 2009

“Just Add Skype”
• Millions of programmers can add Skype to
their toolkits
• Metered access to the gateway
• Commissions for driving revenue to Skype
Phil Wolff, Skype Journal 2009

Into what
would you like to pour
some Skype?
Phil Wolff, Skype Journal 2009

Phil Wolff
Skype:evanwolf
pwolff@dijest.com
+1-510-444-8234
http://SkypeJournal.com
http://twitter.com/evanwolf
http://twitter.com/skypejournal
http://www.linkedin.com/in/philwolff
Phil Wolff, Skype Journal 2009