Confirmed: Skype acquires mobile video streaming service Qik

Skype has reportedly paid $100 million for mobile video streaming service Qik.

Skype has officially announced the news at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this week.

Qik (pronounced Quick, not Kick!) has recently partnered with mobile big-hitters such as Sprint, T-Mobile, Nokia, and Samsung.

Qik is also the preferred video streaming option for many Google Android users - hence the rapid growth in user numbers over the last year.

Quick Qik growth

Qik has grown rapidly from 600,000 users at the start of 2010 to over five million at the end of last year, so it's clear to see why the streaming service is a valuable acquisition for a VoIP vendor such as Skype.

TechRadar has contacted Skype's UK office for confirmation of the terms of the deal and for more info on what this might mean for British mobile phone users.

Here are a few choice facts that Skype has told us to date about the deal:

• Skype today announced it has entered a definitive agreement to acquire Qik, a provider of mobile video software and services that enable individuals to capture, instantly share and preserve great moments on video from anywhere.

• The acquisition of Qik helps accelerate Skype's leadership in video by adding recording, sharing and storing capabilities to our product portfolio.

• Both Qik and Skype have a common culture and understanding of enriching communications and sharing with video, across any device, anywhere.