Google Launches Google Talk

Posted on August 24, 2005

Google has launched Google Talk a instant messenger and internet phone tool. The BBC points out that Google's IM service launches far behind rivals like AOL (40 million), Microsoft (14 million) and Yahoo (20 million). Google Talk is open source and works with other IM tools like iChat. Google is allowing developers access to the technology to develop games and applications.

Georges Harik, director of product management at Google, told MSNBC, "It means other people and developers will be able to add value to our network by being able to add this to computer games, productivity applications and anywhere else they want."

Skype has a huge lead in internet phone with 51 million users over Google's new tool. Plus, Google's service does not let users call regular phone lines like Skype does. The launch also makes Google much more of a web portal than a search engine as it continues to look more and more AOL and Yahoo like.

Update 7-29-15: Google Talk was replaced by Google Hangouts in February. It was deprecated on February 23rd according to Google product manager for Google Voice and Hangouts Mayur Kamat.