AOL has finally made the long awaited decision to merge its instant messaging chat services with facebook’s. 17 million people consistently use the AOL instant messaging service each month and they can now link their buddy list from AIM to their facebook page and use both buddy lists while on facebook. Other services such as iChat and Meebo made similar deals with previous website in the past which proved to be powerful and profitable moves, however AIM was slow to make the jump.
Although AIM was missed out on additional revenues, their patients may prove to be their greatest virtue as it lead them to a dominant contract. I agree with this move by AIM, it seems like a no brainer. If you cant beat them then join them. Facebook has become an online powerhouse, starting out with just a college/university based website for students to interact. Facebook has now become a multigenerational and world wide online service for almost everything. There’s no way AIM will pull users from facebooks massive user base with the limited services that they offer. However, what AIM does have is much more experience in the online chat market, as well as all of their users extensive buddy lists from way back when. What will happen is, after downloading the update, when you log onto facebook in addition to your normal chat group in the bottom right corner there will also be your entire buddy list from AIM as well and both services can be simultaneously used through facebook. The two will greatly compliment each other and extend both of their businesses.
AOL’s president for internet and mobile communications, Brad Garlinghouse, explained “that in the past AOL had not adapted its instant messenger service to meet user expectations of interoperability. Under a new management team, AOL’s attitude is changing.” Also, “We are now taking risks that historically we would not have taken,” he said. “People who use AIM are much more likely to use other parts of the AOL experience. So for us we are looking at creating a more useful product. This is about getting back to basics.”
AOL as well as Facebook will benefit from this merge in extending both their services.
http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/02/10/aol-cracks-open-aims-door-and-lets-in-facebook/?ref=technology
I think that this will benefit both AOL and Facebook. Linking these two together will bring together two huge social networking programs. It will bring users together and will allow them to communicate using different mediums. Social networking technology is expanding rapidly and there are new releases everyday that bring people closer and closer together.
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