skype as a platform
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Can Skype turn Skype Lite into Skype as a Platform? One path to a developer-friendly Skype. Phil Wolff, editor, Skype Journal. November 2009TRANSCRIPT
Phil Wolff, Skype Journal 2009
Can Skype turn Skype Liteinto Skype as a Platform?
One path to a developer-friendly Skype
Phil Wolff, editor, Skype JournalNovember 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
Client
Mobile Network
Skype Lite software runs on mobiles
Phil Wolff, Skype Journal 2009
Skype Lite
Client
Voice overVoice
Channel
Data overData
Channel
Mobile Network
Skype voice goes over the mobile carrier’s voice channel.
Data goes over the mobile carrier’s data channel.
Phil Wolff, Skype Journal 2009
Skype Lite
Client
Voice overVoice
Channel
Data overData
Channel
Stream Split/Merge
Skype ServersMobile Network
Skype servers join voice+data
Phil Wolff, Skype Journal 2009
Skype Lite
Client
Voice overVoice
Channel
Data overData
Channel
Stream Split/Merge
Skype Servers
NakedSkype
S
Mobile Network
The joined voice/data goes to a “naked” Skype client running on a Skype server
Phil Wolff, Skype Journal 2009
Skype P2P
Cloud
Skype Lite
Client
Voice overVoice
Channel
Data overData
Channel
Stream Split/Merge
Skype ServersMobile Network
Naked Skype connects to the Skype cloud
S
NakedSkype
Phil Wolff, Skype Journal 2009
Skype-to-Skype
Skype Lite
Client
Voice overVoice
Channel
Data overData
Channel
Stream Split/Merge
Skype ServersMobile Network
The cloud connects you to Skypers
S
NakedSkype
Skype P2P
Cloud
Phil Wolff, Skype Journal 2009
SkypeOut
SkypeIn
Skype-to-Skype
Skype Lite
Client
Voice overVoice
Channel
Data overData
Channel
Stream Split/Merge
Skype ServersMobile Network
…and to phone numbers
S
NakedSkype
Skype P2P
Cloud
Phil Wolff, Skype Journal 2009
Skype P2P
Cloud
SkypeOut
SkypeIn
Skype-to-Skype
Skype Lite
Client
Voice overVoice
Channel
Data overData
Channel
Stream Split/Merge
Skype Servers
S
SS
S
S
S
SS
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
SS
S
SS
SS
S
SS
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
SS
NakedSkype
S
Mobile Network
There are many “naked” instances
Phil Wolff, Skype Journal 2009
Skype P2P
Cloud
SkypeOut
SkypeIn
Skype-to-Skype
Skype Lite
Client
Voice overVoice
Channel
Data overData
Channel
Admin Layer
Stream Split/Merge
Skype Servers
S
SS
S
S
S
SS
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
SS
S
SS
SS
S
SS
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
SS
NakedSkype
S
Mobile Network
So there’s a management layer
Phil Wolff, Skype Journal 2009
Skype P2P
Cloud
SkypeOut
SkypeIn
Skype-to-Skype
Skype Lite
Client
Voice overVoice
Channel
Data overData
Channel
Admin Layer
Stream Split/Merge
Skype Servers
S
SS
S
S
S
SS
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
SS
S
SS
SS
S
SS
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
SS
NakedSkype
S
Mobile Network
That’s how Skype Lite works
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
SFlash Apps
Web Apps
Business Systems
Smartphone Apps
Embedded Devices
Desktop Apps
Operating Systems
Phil Wolff, Skype Journal 2009
Skype can support more modesGreat for partners
VoiceChat
Presence
Mood
Video
3D Spatial
Data
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 WolffSkype:[email protected]+1-510-444-8234
http://SkypeJournal.comhttp://twitter.com/evanwolfhttp://twitter.com/skypejournalhttp://www.linkedin.com/in/philwolff