The next Xbox may feature Skype integration as the backbone for its own social and sharing inferstructure.
Speaking to TechRadar, Skype's head of mobile marketing Derek Snyder suggests the company may be (probably) building video chat for the Xbox 720: "If it's an Xbox we're trying to connect to - it's probably not that hard to believe we're looking at that - what does that mean for gaming?"
Rumors suggest that Skype, which Microsoft purchased for $8.5B in 2011, will completely replace Xbox Live Chat on the Xbox 360 later this year. A series of job listings have suggested that Microsoft has been working to integrate Skype into the Xbox ecosystem since early 2012. One of those listings suggests that Skype's chat functionality will include in-game voice and video chat.
Social connectivity and streaming games are a major component of the PS4, powered by game-streaming service Gaikai. The question is: Will Skype stop at video and voice chat, or will they dive into the world of streaming and recording game footage as well? Snyder says that, with Microsoft's support, Skype is aiming high: "With Microsoft at our back we have more opportunities to do big things, because we can stand on the backs of giants." That doesn't mean Microsoft's new console will match the PS4 feature for feature, but suggests that Skype could be working to bring something entirely new to the world of in-game communication.
Microsoft is expected to unveil the next Xbox at a media event next month. Whatever kind of Skype integration Microsoft has planned for the next Xbox, we'll most likely get at least a glimpse at that point.