eBay is developing a new backend for Skype as it tries to resolve a legal dispute before spinning off the VoIP service next year. The company revealed its plans in its 10-Q regulatory filing on Thursday, noting that eBay and Skype are confident in their legal position vis-a-vis the technology they’re currently using for peer-to-peer connections, but that the new system is being developed “just in case.”
Skype currently uses technology from Joltid to make its P2P connections on the backend. Joltid was founded by Skype creators Janus Friis and Niklas Zennström and recently turned against Skype, saying that the popular VoIP service could not “possess, use, or modify” certain source code as part of the license agreement. Skype apparently did anyway, leading Joltid to terminate the agreement and accuse Skype of infringing on Joltid’s copyright and misusing confidential information.
Skype filed a claim with the English High Court of Justice in March 2009 asking for declaratory relief, and for a ruling that the termination of the license was invalid. Unfortunately for eBay and Skype, though, the trial won’t take place until June 2010. That could be right around the time (or possibly even before) eBay plans to hold an IPO for Skype, spinning it off as its own entity.
via eBay told it can’t use core Skype tech, attempts workaround – Ars Technica.
