Some Web API Providers Progressing Towards Revenue Generation

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Recent datapoints:

Could Amazon be your next infrastructure partner?
eBay API best practices for affiliates (pdf)
Skype Announces Beta API For Developers (this follows a press release, there was already some public material last month), Skype Developer Zone

Of course eBay and Amazon are much further down that road than Skype, which provides its API for free, non-commercial use for now (commercial deals are negociated on a private, 1-on-1 basis). Information Skype wants out of the beta includes how many people it can host by server so the company can factor in costs and price presence services accordingly. Skype is also looking for an integration product manager, another hint that distribution is key to their growth plans. Coming soon: software developer and certification programs.

This is worth following closely. After all, the Google web APIs, introduced 2 1/2 years ago for non-commercial use, are still in beta with nothing very serious developed on top of them that I'm aware of, and not much visible action in the newsgroup either.

06/21/05 update: the Skype API use guidelines now support commercial applications.

12/02/05 update: Platforms, Mashups, and Markets.

Category(s): web services ·

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