moneoa
October 12th, 2005, 10:18 AM
Microsoft, Yahoo to link up instant messaging services
Last Updated Wed, 12 Oct 2005 12:22:56 EDT
CBC News
Users of Microsoft and Yahoo's instant messaging (IM) services will soon have millions of new people to chat with after the two companies announced plans to make each service compatible with the other.
Combining the two services will allow 275 million customers of Yahoo Messenger and MSN Messenger to swap free instant text messages with users on either IM network.
Microsoft and Yahoo say their interconnectivity agreement – an industry first – will create the largest consumer IM market in the world.
"Being able to instant message between IM communities is one of the features most requested by MSN Messenger and Yahoo Instant Messenger users," the companies said in a joint statement.
Yahoo and Microsoft say people will be able to message users on the other's network by the second quarter of 2006.
The deal is aimed at taking on Time Warner, whose AOL Instant Messenger service now dominates the IM market. Microsoft's MSN Messenger is currently the second most popular IM service; Yahoo Instant Messenger is third.
Search engine giant Google has also recently launched an IM service of its own, Google Talk.
http://www.cbc.ca/story/business/national/2005/10/12/messaging-051011.html
Last Updated Wed, 12 Oct 2005 12:22:56 EDT
CBC News
Users of Microsoft and Yahoo's instant messaging (IM) services will soon have millions of new people to chat with after the two companies announced plans to make each service compatible with the other.
Combining the two services will allow 275 million customers of Yahoo Messenger and MSN Messenger to swap free instant text messages with users on either IM network.
Microsoft and Yahoo say their interconnectivity agreement – an industry first – will create the largest consumer IM market in the world.
"Being able to instant message between IM communities is one of the features most requested by MSN Messenger and Yahoo Instant Messenger users," the companies said in a joint statement.
Yahoo and Microsoft say people will be able to message users on the other's network by the second quarter of 2006.
The deal is aimed at taking on Time Warner, whose AOL Instant Messenger service now dominates the IM market. Microsoft's MSN Messenger is currently the second most popular IM service; Yahoo Instant Messenger is third.
Search engine giant Google has also recently launched an IM service of its own, Google Talk.
http://www.cbc.ca/story/business/national/2005/10/12/messaging-051011.html