Filed under: Products and services, Google (GOOG), Microsoft (MSFT)

Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ: MSFT) will soon further into the world of on the internet video as it has introduced software that’ll grant customers to watch on the web videos and chat about them in real-time. Called Messenger TV, the new service will combine Microsoft’s Windows Live instant messaging program with an integrated video player. Windows Live Messenger, though, still is not the world’s largest instant messaging platform. That honor belongs to AIM, one of AOL’s more successful products ever.

Microsoft’s goal in introducing the new instant messaging program with integrated video is to get its customers speaking about the videos they are watching, as well as allowing them to watch and share clips from such companies as MTV, Sony BMG and EMI Group, some of the largest music companies on the planet.

Is this yet another attempt by Microsoft to try and “catch the wave” of online video usage? If that’s its thought, it’s already missed the boat. Google, Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG)’s YouTube is where on the web video is already at, so this new Messenger TV product needs to offer something new and compelling. Microsoft will be rolling out this new service in Europe first, though, as there are 95 million users of Windows Live on that continent already — the lion’s share of the company’s total base of 240 million customers.

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This entry was posted on Tuesday, May 13th, 2008 at 5:20 am and is filed under Stocks News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.