Intel's investment in Jajah, announced Thursday, says a lot about the direction in which VoIP technology is headed.
VoIP technology is still in its early days, and is often sold as a free-standing service complete with dedicated hardware (see Vonage). But more and more, VoIP applications are becoming embedded in larger applications or devices. Google is working on building VoIP software into its spreadsheet software. eCommerce pages at eBay feature click-to-call VoIP buttons.
Similarly, Intel is looking at ways of baking Jajah's VoIP software right into its microprocessors. Jajah CEO Trevor Healy certainly hopes this comes to pass. If it does, Jajah's VoIP software might show up as a widget on the desktops of new PCs with "Intel Inside." That's very, very valuable real estate. If any one of the thousands of services out there finally emerges as the iPod of VoIP, it might be because of the context in which it's presented to the user.
Unlike Skype, the current market leader, Jajah doesn't require a microphone and speakers to operate. Rather, your desk phone or cell phone is used for talking. To call someone, you just type your phone number and the number you want to call into the Jajah application, then Jajah goes out into the network, sets up the call, and causes both phones to ring when the connection is ready. You just pick up the phone and start talking.
Of course it's too early to say if Intel will embed Jajah VoIP in its microprocessors. Intel execs are non-committal. For now, Intel says it will enter several "marketing, patent and distribution" deals with Jajah, whatever that means.
Jajah apparently is expecting big things from the relationship, and right away. The company says it has around 2 million registered users today, and is aiming for 5 million by the end of 2007.
