By The number of instant messaging users worldwide will reach 180 million by 2004, according to research by Gartner Group , but as instant messaging evolves from a basic communication tool to a platform for commerce the battle between Microsoft and America Online is sure to intensify.
Many consumers use both brands.
This means the choice of which instant messaging platform to use extends beyond how you chat. Microsoft's Web services foundation, code named Hailstorm, is planning to enhance instant messaging with Web services, including private identity tools that will allow instant commerce and transactions such as stock trading, purchasing and corporate procurement. As consumers and business users select brand loyalty to AOL or Microsoft, they may be pledging not only their IM address, but also their future online persona and personal data, according to Gartner. Clearly, Microsoft has the technology lead, but AOL has the consumer confidence on privacy and security matters. The last place you want to have an identity crisis is online.