Instant Messaging In The UK: An MSN Affair
I think it’s the same in The Netherlands where i believe the marketshare of MSN is some 80%.
Half of UK online consumers use instant messaging (IM) software, and usage is ubiquitous among young consumers. Additional communication features, such as voice and video chat, are not very popular yet — but a third of the youngest consumers already play games via IM. MSN is the leading platform in the UK, and will become even more popular in the coming years.
Yes, and in the same picture arises in the rest of Europe and Asia, there are of course some exceptions like Germany with slightly higer Aol and Yahoo numbers.
In the US there’s a totally different picture, with MSN being on a distant second place shared with Yahoo after AOL. Once MSN dominates the US’s IM (e.g. after buying AOL) they won’t let go anymore and the Net’s social network hub will be monopolized by M$.
John,
thanks for sharing. I do know that the US has different dynamics.
As for the big bad microsoft (M$ isn’t it) scenario. I think building and nurturing a very large consumer user base is the objectve of a lot of companies, not just Microsoft. Look at cable tv companies, online auctioners, VOIP suppliers, etc. And yes Microsoft is gaining momentum and has the means to achieve it. But so have some of its competitors such as Google. Google is late to the game of IM but is trying hard and sure have the cash to do interesting stuff. Yes Google too has the $$ objective and nothing else (maybe not the reputation yet)
Peter, yes I agree every company in the end wants to maximize profits, and I admire MS and really like their products so no big bad microsoft (M$ isn’t it) scenario in my mind.
What I was trying to state is that the IM space is an area in which one big player probably is going to dominate, everybody will move to the application that most others are already using because sending messages to yourself becomes boring quite rapidly. Google is just too late, social networks have been created around other IM applications and their IM package doesn’t integrate games, video, a blogging space etc. they really have to gmailifize IM, like free calls to fixed or mobile phones (ad-sponsored? any thoughts?) otherwise I don’t see them gaining a significant share in the IM space.
John,
Fully agree. I do wonder too what Google next move will be. Their heavy investments in Wifi infrastructures is an interesting move. Providing some sort of free service like VOIP (fixed and mobile) would be an option.
NOt sure if you’ve ever seen this flash about a future scenario. It’s very cool …
http://www.peterdehaas.com/2005/01/nothing_like_a_.html
(use the top link in the post)