IBM and Instant messaging Convergence

It is interesting to see IBMs new step to integrate AOL, Yahoo and Google Talk messengers with its instant messaging platform(Lotus Sametime). IBMs secure messaging system is used in many of the big companies for Instant Messaging. And certainly adding AOL, Yahoo and google talk, it will enhance the Lotus Sametime usablity and obviously more corporates who are not yet using Lotus Sametime will look into it.

Missing from the deal is Microsoft Corp., the most direct rival of IBM in the corporate instant messaging market, where customers often demand greater security and want IT managers to have the ability to audit what users say.

IBM claims that Lotus Sametime has 20 million users inside companies worldwide, including more than 25 companies with more than 100,000 users apiece. IBM said 60% of the world's 100 largest companies use Sametime.

AOL Instant Messenger, the most popular instant messaging system, has more than 40 million users in the U.S. alone, according to a Commscore Media Metrix survey.

Yahoo had roughly 20 million instant messaging users, and Microsoft had around 15 million, according to midyear 2005 data.

Google had far fewer instant messaging users, but it just introduced its IM offering midway through 2005.

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