Google Combines Email with Instant Messaging

2:05 am on February 9, 2006 | Category: Email, Messaging, Web Services

business/google.jpg

Google is making an attempt to unify its online communication holdings by combining Gmail with the Google Talk instant messaging client.

This first of its kind combination will allow Gmail users to send and receive instant messages from directly within their email mailboxes, without needing to open a separate application, or even a new browser window.

With only 4.5% of internet users accessing Gmail in December, and 1% making use of Google Talk, Google has a long way to go before catching up with market leaders Yahoo Mail and AOL Instant Messenger. Each of these services has an impressive global market penetration rate of 33%.

By exposing Gmail users to Google Talk, the Mountain View-based internet giant hopes to bolster the trailing market shares of both of its online communication services.

“It’s not surprising they would do this,” said industry analyst Sara Radicati. “Gmail has been a late-comer, and adding IM capabilities is very sexy.”

Related Articles:

    None Found

    No Comments yet »

    RSS feed for comments on this post.

    Leave a comment

    XHTML: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <strike> <strong>


    Published by TeleClick Enterprises
    Edited by Jeremy Maddock