Microsoft and Yahoo team up to make IM clients compatible
{{date|October 12, 2005}}

Internet rivals [[Microsoft]] and [[Yahoo]] have agreed to make their {{w|instant messaging}} programs, {{w|Yahoo Messenger}} and {{w|MSN Messenger}}, work together. Instant messaging, or IM as it commonly known, is becoming an increasingly popular communication service, mainly because of the speed of communication which almost equals regular conversation.

This move, announced on Wednesday, would mainly focus on earlier forms of instant messaging, like sending text messages to other people via the [[Internet]]. This arrangement is expected to start around June 2006.

The agreement will allow the companies to compete against the popular {{w|AIM|AOL Instant Messenger}} service ([[AOL]]), and {{w|Google Talk}}, [[Google]]'s relatively new instant messaging service that was opened to the public in beta form in September. The companies said that this relationship is the fruit of many years of negotiation.

Until now, AOL has been able to move and develop the IM market at its own pace, due to its widespread use within the [[United States]]. With this arrangement in place, this freedom might end. The number of users of the Yahoo! and Microsoft services combined will rival the number of AOL's customers.

Microsoft had previously held talks with AOL over possible partnerships in the instant messaging field. However, the status of these negotiations is unknown.

==Related news==
*{{wikinews|title=Google hires lead developer for open source instant messenger, Gaim|date=October 13, 2005}}

== Sources ==
*{{source|url=http://www.komotv.com/stories/39703.htm
|title=Microsoft Teams Up With Another Rival
|author=
|pub=Komo 4 News
|date=October 12, 2005}}

*{{source|url=http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/technology/business-microsoft-yahoo.html
|title=Microsoft and Yahoo Link Instant Messaging Services
|author=Reuters
|pub=New York Times
|date=October 12, 2005}}

==External links==
*{{pedia|Comparison of instant messengers|Comparison of instant messengers}}

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{{archive-sighted}}
[[Category:Economy and business]]
[[Category:Internet]]
[[Category:Microsoft]]
[[Category:North America]]
[[Category:United States]]
[[Category:Yahoo!]]
[[Category:AOL]]
[[Category:Google]]
Internet rivals Microsoft and Yahoo have agreed to make their Yahoo Messenger and , work together. Instant messaging, or IM as it commonly known, is becoming an increasingly popular communication service, mainly because of the speed of communication which almost equals regular conversation.

This move, announced on Wednesday, would mainly focus on earlier forms of instant messaging, like sending text messages to other people via the Internet. This arrangement is expected to start around June 2006.

The agreement will allow the companies to compete against the popular AOL Instant Messenger service (AOL), and , Google's relatively new instant messaging service that was opened to the public in beta form in September. The companies said that this relationship is the fruit of many years of negotiation.

Until now, AOL has been able to move and develop the IM market at its own pace, due to its widespread use within the United States. With this arrangement in place, this freedom might end. The number of users of the Yahoo! and Microsoft services combined will rival the number of AOL's customers.

Microsoft had previously held talks with AOL over possible partnerships in the instant messaging field. However, the status of these negotiations is unknown.

*
Economy and business Internet Microsoft North America United States Yahoo! AOL Google