Skype buys mobile video specialist Qik

Skype has agreed to acquire Qik to expand its range of mobile video services. Qik provides mobile video software and services that help mobile users capture and save videos as well as share the content as video messages. Qik has 60 employees, and is headquartered in Redwood City, California and has an office in Moscow, Russia. The transaction is expected to close in January. Terms of the acquisition will not be disclosed. The Qik service is available on over 200 mobile phones across the Android, iPhone, Symbian, Blackberry and Windows Mobile platforms, and comes pre-loaded on a wide variety of mobile handsets through partnerships with leading handset manufacturers and carriers. The acquisition helps accelerate Skype's position in video by adding recording, sharing and storing capabilities to Skype's product portfolio. Skype will also be able to leverage the engineering expertise that is behind Qik's Smart Streaming technology, which optimizes video transmission over wireless networks. Skype said around 40 percent of its Skype-to-Skype calls are happening already over video.