The company promises a better experience to Skype users

Mar 9, 2012 16:00 GMT  ·  By

Microsoft’s acquisition of Skype is starting to pay off. The company has just announced that new Microsoft Hardware products will soon start shipping to the market with the “Skype Certified” stamp on their boxes.

The Redmond-based software giant has started to certify all Microsoft HD webcams and USB Microsoft headsets, which means that users who will choose these products are guaranteed to enjoy an optimal Skype experience, including HD quality video calls.

Ed Botterill, head of Skype Certification, commented on the certification and said that it was an important milestone for Skype’s millions of monthly connected users, and that it also marks a step forward when considering the integration process into Microsoft.

“The essence of certification is for Skype to guide its users to the best hardware that will produce the best Skype experiences,” he stated.

“This is the first time we’ve been able to guide them to such a big hardware player in Microsoft, whose webcams and headsets will improve the Skype experience for the majority of our user base.”

He also noted that the newly certified hardware marked only the beginning of a partnership meant to help deliver better hardware experiences to all users.

Kurt Wrisley, senior program manager with Microsoft Hardware, added that Microsoft Hardware was currently working to have products pushed top as many Skype users out there as possible. “Getting their endorsement on your box is huge,” he said.

Each year, Skype users make 300 billion minutes of calls, and the company will gain a lot from informing users that they could benefit from a better experience when using Microsoft’s own hardware.

“We have the opportunity to put together the world’s biggest video calling platform with Skype together with industry leaders in Microsoft who have really come on strong in the headset and webcam market,” Botterill said.

“Now that we’re part of the same company, that’s where we really should be able to define future products and quality levels.”