Google Talk - What's the buzz?

Google launched new software yesterday, an instant messenger/voice over IP client named Google Talk. Why was this their next move in the Search Engine Wars?

(August 25 2005) When Google launches a new product, it is usually innovative and often sensational. But there are already several good options for voice over IP and a great number of instant messaging (IM) services available.

Open communications model

Google Talk is different from other IM services in that it is based on an open communications model enabling users to connect to the Google Talk service and exchange instant messages using any client that uses the same standard. At present, this includes Trillian, Adium, iChat, GAIM, and Psi.

This seems like a good idea, but the MSN, Yahoo! And AOL IM services do not support the protocol that makes this exchange possible. Between them they have some 100 million users and until they do, Google's open communications model won't really be open.

Battling lock-in

So there is a case of technological lock-in in the IM market. How does Google plan to deal with that? If the open communications model evolves to include most or all of the major players, lock-in will no longer be a problem.

While we are rooting for this to happen, it might take a while. Or it might not happen at all.

Google has another strategy to combat lock-in: Google Talk is integrated with GMail. So far GMail accounts have been available only through invitation. Everyone agrees that GMail is a great email service and the GMail accounts are very attractive.

Now anyone in the U.S. with access to a mobile phone can sign up for a Gmail account. When users visit http://gmail.com and enter their mobile phone number, they will receive an invitation code via a text message. This code enables them to open an account.

The war for your desktop

This is not only a strategy to help the new Google Talk application to win ground. Google might be hoping that once they have you addicted to some of their really great services, like the Google Toolbar, GMail and Google Desktop Search, they have achieved a kind of lock-in.

By adding new quality services like Google Talk, that are integrated with and depend upon other Google products, they set out to win over AOL, Yahoo! and maybe even Microsoft.

A clash of titans

In their mission statement Google states that their “mission is to organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful.” Lately it seems that the contours of another mission are becoming visible: Google will not be content with winning the search engine wars; they are fighting to win your desktop too.

This means a continued battle with Yahoo! and Ask Jeeves as well as fighting Microsoft on both the search front and the desktop front. We are in for a clash of titans.

See also:
Google Talk
Google's press release
Google throws down gauntlet to Microsoft (From The Mail & Guardian Online)

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