eBay and Skype - Can't Make This Stuff Up

eBay and Skype - Can't Make This Stuff Up

The New York Times said Niklas Zennstrom and Janus Friis, the pair who founded Skype and sold it to eBay for far more than it was worth, may now want to buy it back. And the kicker? The Times said a company also founded by the pair has terminated eBay's license for a patent used by Skype. This would make anyone but the pair leery of buying Skype due to legal issues, according to the paper.

eBay CEO John Donahoe made it clear Skype has no synergies with eBay or PayPal at the company's recent Analyst Day. But as any eBay seller knows, a sale with only one bidder does not make for an optimal selling price.