Yahoo! Unveils New Mobile Communications Service
Yahoo! has announced the launch of oneConnect, a new mobile communications service providing easier access to social network contacts, messaging and email.
Yahoo! said that oneConnect will be the first mobile product with an open architecture that aggregates communications tools – email, instant messaging, text messaging, and social networks.
Consumers will be able to access a wide range of popular messaging services such as Yahoo! Messenger, Google Talk, AOL Instant Messenger and MSN Messenger.
The socially-connected address book will give users the capability to integrate activity from popular social networks, professional networks, and communities into their address book.
Consumers will be able to view status updates, photo uploads, and the recent activity (“pulse”) of contacts across all their networks.
Marco Boerries, executive vice president, Connected Life, Yahoo!, said: “Last year we set out to reinvent mobile search with Yahoo! oneSearch, and today with 29 operator partnerships around the world covering more than 600 million subscribers, we believe we have certainly succeeded.
“Now, we intend to reinvent mobile communications through Yahoo! oneConnect, a revolutionary new mobile communications service that will combine integrated mobile messaging with a socially-connected address book.”
Yahoo! also announced yesterday, at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, that oneSearch will be the exclusive search tool for T-Mobile’s European customers beginning in March.
The news follows the announcement from Orange and T-Mobile UK that they are to jointly pilot a new mobile TV and multimedia broadcast service in London that will see customers receive up to 24 high-resolution television channels along with 10 digital radio stations (see T-Mobile And Orange Announce Mobile TV Trial).
On Monday, Yahoo! turned down a $45 billion takeover bid from Microsoft, saying that it substantially undervalued the company (see Yahoo! Turns Down Microsoft Takeover Bid).
However, a deal could still go ahead if Microsoft returns with an improved offer.
Yesterday’s MediaTel Group seminar on the ‘Future of Online’ looked at the possible Yahoo!/Microsoft deal and the effect consolidation could have on both the market and its main player, Google (see Google ‘Could Become Company Everyone Wants To Fail’).
Yahoo!: 020 7808 4200 www.yahoo.co.uk