It looks obvious

Back in April I expressed my disappointment from GTalk, claiming that Google wasted time instead of developing a serious VoIP solution. Furthermore I cannot see in GTalk any advantage comparing to other IM products or skype .

Different strategic approach was slightly revealed in a small report on today’s Wall Street Journal . Apparently Microsoft decided to invest its efforts in the business market and less in the residential market.  Incorporating  the phone service with other  products  of Microsoft will make its product extremely competitive and would have a great impact on the VoIP market.

For long time I’m looking to see how the market will shape itself when the big software companies will start to compete directly with the traditional telecom companies. It seems like we are much closer to see it now.

Link: Microsoft Wants Your Office Telephone

Today Microsoft is set to announce a broad initiative into the business telephone market, including desktop phones and videoconferencing devices designed by Microsoft and sold by partners, with some available as soon as June 2007. Microsoft software programs would link the new phones to computers so that they can handle voice functions, such as making a phone call and receiving voice mail.

The plan sets the stage for Microsoft to take on other giants, such as Cisco Systems Inc., Avaya Inc. and Nortel Networks Inc., in the industry march to replace traditional phone systems with more flexible and cheaper Internet technologies.

New Internet-based technologies make it easier to use software and servers to combine email, voice mail, voice calling, conferencing and instant-messaging in a single system. Historically, most business phones have been managed by proprietary switching systems — called private branch exchanges, or PBXs — that are separate from servers managing email and other office communications.

Microsoft’s plan significantly escalates its move into a high-priority market where it has had few major successes to date. Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates for years has been pushing Microsoft to move into the voice business. The strategy is based partly on the belief that voice communications eventually will be managed by servers that use Microsoft software and a chip-design pioneered by Intel Corp. — the same combination that reshaped personal computers decades ago.