InfoWorld: E-mail’s future, pumped look

InfoWorld has an interesting article on the evolution of email and how IBM may get a second chance in ‘knocking-off’ Microsoft in leading this market …

… (InfoWorld) – With IBMs launch earlier this month of Lotus Notes 8 and this week’s unveiling of Lotus SameTime Version 8, industry analysts say we are beginning to see the evolution of the e-mail client from a communications tool into a coordination channel. And when that happens, IBM may be in the unprecedented position of getting a second chance at knocking off longtime market leader Microsoft Outlook.

Lotus Notes has seen 11 consecutive quarters of growth, with double digit growth in the past five quarters, according to Ed Brill, sales executive for Lotus Notes and Domino. …

I know I have had this discussion with Ed before. But when I analyse the Financial Statements of IBM, I see only 2 quarters with double digit growth :

Q1/2006 : 0%

Q2/2006 : 6%

Q3/2006 : 8%

Q4/2006 : 30%

Q1/2007 : 7%

Q2/2007 : 12%

All in all its still shows that IBM Lotus is growing compared to the previous year, but not at the pace IBM wants us to believe …

… Kevin Kavanaugh, vice president for development for Notes and Domino, says that the latest numbers from IDC indicate Microsoft Outlook has a 50 percent market share while Lotus Notes has 40 percent.

Whatever the numbers, most industry analysts are now saying that with this version of Notes is finally on par and competitive with Outlook 2007. …

Marketshare of Microsoft Outlook ? I think they must mean Exchange. Based on the fact that both IBM and Microsoft ship an Outlook Connector for Domino I expect the marketshare of Microsoft Outlook be much larger than Microsoft Exchange. I couldn’t find the figures straight away, if I find them I will update my post.

Source: E-mail’s future, pumped look
Author: ephraim_schwartz@infoworld.com,letters@infoworld.com (Ephraim Schwartz)
Date originally published: Thu, 23 Aug 2007 10:00:00 GMT