Facebook, Skype & Google: The Ultimate Partnership? (GOOG)

Facebook and Skype are in talks to establish a partnership that would combine the communication services, the Wall Street Journal said, citing a person familiar with the situation. The WSJ is reporting that Facebook users would be able to sign into Skype through their Facebook Connect accounts. They would then be able to text message, voice chat, and video chat with Facebook friends through Skype. Enabling Skype's chat on Facebook would be a "logical progression" to the partnership, the person told the paper. Naturally, the two companies couldn't be reached for comment. The news is certainly striking though, as it would be welcomed by millions of people around the world. Voice and video chat would be significantly cheaper for consumers, simply because the data is transmitted over the internet. The potential partnership has deeper implications. What about recent rumors that Facebook is working with a cell phone company to produce a social media smartphone? If the phone could operate video chat like Apple's AAPL iPhone 4, then users could use Facebook and Skype on the go. Only a few companies would likely meet Facebook's standards for such a device. Apple's iPhone and Google's GOOG Android are the clear standouts, despite both companies developing social networks. Google's open standards and multiple manufacturers, however, make it the front runner in this situation. Android is growing rapidly, and a partnership between Facebook, Skype, and Google would be groundbreaking. Users could video chat on the go, at their home computer, or anywhere with data access. Information transfer and news would occur instantly, and communication possibilities would expand yet again. Such a structured partnership would likely never happen, but it scratches at the heart of something more intriguing: human communication will continue to evolve significantly in the near future. Technology continues to develop at a rapid pace, and new services and innovations will allow humans to interact in ways unimaginable a decade ago. Be on the watch for companies that are exploring new ways for consumers to communicate. Facebook and Skype are clearly the consumer favorites right now, but it's the garage-based startups that will be shaping tomorrow's standards. See 4 Strong Buys here for free.