Skype will begin testing an upgrade of its free communications software that can automatically detect phone numbers in webpages and initiate calls.Skype 3.0, which will be launched in a beta version Wednesday, also features community conference calls and text chats, as well as IT management features.Skype, which debuted in August 2003 and was acquired by eBay last year, has popularized Internet telephony, along with providing instant messaging, file transfers and video communications. Skype has about 136 million registered users in 200 countries, and adds about 250,000 registered users every day, according to the company. Its revenue is expected to more than triple this year to US$195 million.The new feature that recognizes telephone numbers in a webpage is called Click-to-call. It allows users to place calls to those numbers using the fee-based SkypeOut service. Meanwhile, the IT capabilities will let network administrators remotely manage Skype deployments among their end users. Two other new features are Skypecasts and public chats, which are conference calls and text chats in which people with a common interest can gather to communicate with each other. Finally, the user interface has been modified to make it easier and simpler to find commands and perform actions.This software upgrade reflects Skype’s strategy of diversifying beyond Internet telephony toward other modes of online communications and of finding new revenue streams beyond phone charges, said Niklas Zennstrom, Skype’s chief executive officer and cofounder, at the Web 2.0 Summit in San Francisco Tuesday.Eventually, the price of telephone calls will continue falling until they are free, so Skype needs to generate revenue from other sources like e-commerce and advertising, he said.-Juan Carlos Perez, IDG News Service (Miami Bureau)Related Links: Skype Preps Enterprise-Friendly VoIP Software Philips, Netgear Unveil 1st PC-Free Skype Phones Web Leaders: Mobile is Tough Nut to CrackCheck out our CIO News Alerts and Tech Informer pages for more updated news coverage. Related content brandpost A guide to hybrid cloud deployment for innovation without disruption How do organizations balance their on-premises preferences and requisites with the crucial need to innovate? By Ahmed Helmy, Global Vice President, Avaya Experience Platform Product Management Jun 07, 2023 3 mins Hybrid Cloud brandpost Bringing AI to your organization? Better bring the right database Why Apache Cassandra offers the scalability, reliability, and speed required for building artificial intelligence applications. By Patrick McFadin Jun 07, 2023 7 mins Machine Learning Artificial Intelligence feature 7 ways to spot hidden IT talent within your ranks Your organization has hidden IT superstars in the making — both within and outside IT. Here’s how to find and elevate them for maximum impact. By John Edwards Jun 07, 2023 8 mins Staff Management feature The NBA’s digital transformation is a game-changer The National Basketball Association’s move to Azure cloud is helping improve fan experience and in-game performance due to analytics- and AI-assisted tools aimed at unlocking data’s full potential. By Paula Rooney Jun 07, 2023 9 mins Microsoft Azure Media and Entertainment Industry Digital Transformation Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe