AOL has
released its new
AIM Pro
instant messaging application.
The free program targets business users by offering integration with
Microsoft
Outlook and one-click access to the
WebEx
Communications online conferencing tool. It also has enhanced security
features.
Around 135 million workers worldwide use instant messaging services,
according to market research firm
The
Radicati Group.
AOL claims that about 14 million subscribers of the consumer-oriented AIM
application use the tool for business.
Internet measuring firm
ComScore
Media Metrics puts the worldwide number of instant messaging users at 339
million.
MSN
Messenger leads the pack with about 204 million subscribers, followed by
Yahoo
Messenger with 78 million and AIM with 64 million unique monthly users.
The AIM Pro launch illustrates the increased level of competition in the
enterprise instant messaging space.
IBM offers an
enterprise grade application with
Lotus
Sametime, while
Cisco offers
instant messaging as part of its
Unified
Meetingplace suite of unified messaging offerings.
Microsoft
said earlier this week that it would partner with
Nortel
Networks to integrate instant messaging with traditional telecoms services.
Enterprises have had a rocky relationship with instant messaging. Users often
install the applications without the IT department's authorisation, subjecting
businesses to potential security and data retention issues.
Silicon
Valley Sleuth:
Google
Talk fails to find an audience
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