Microsoft offers OEM Preinstallation Kit for Skype on Win 7
updated 11:24 am EDT, Wed May 30, 2012
Microsoft gives OEM partners option to preload SKype onto new Windows 7 PCs
Microsoft is allowing some of its OEM PC maker and system builder partners to download the OEM Preinstallation Kit (OPK) that will preload Skype on new Windows 7 PCs. Included in the kit is Skype 5.8 for Windows code, which is slightly older than the currently available Skype 5.9 for anyone to access. The kit makes it easy to silently pre-install the software for OEMs, who need to be registered with Microsoft before accessing such OPKs, ZDNet reported.
The guides for the installation are available in English, German, Hungarian, Korean, Norwegian, Brazilian Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, and Ukrainian. Windows 7 PCs shipping to China may not get the Skype OPK.
Microsoft bought Skype for $8.5 billion in the fall of 2011, with the plan to integrate the video and VoIP communications service into its products, including Office and Xbox.
