Jim Lynch: Off the Top of My Head…

It wouldn’t surprise me a bit if Google is working on an IM client.

Google watchers abuzz about the search darling’s new desktop tool are already betting on its next product: instant chat.

Such speculation isn’t new but it’s gained legs as some intriguing facts have come to light this week. First, although few people seem to realise it, Google already owns an instant-messaging (IM) client called Hello that it picked up this summer with its acquisition of photo-sharing service Picasa.

Meanwhile, code uncovered in the Google Desktop Search tool released on Tuesday suggests that the company may have broader plans to integrate IM into its growing list of products.

Richard Smith, a well-known security consultant, said he examined the code in the desktop application and found included in the program files a new protocol: “google_im://”. (A protocol allows desktop software to interact with the web browser.) “This is a good sign there’s an IM client,” he said.

Like web mail, it’s become a must-have product for companies in the space they are in. The question is when will it be released and what will differentiate it from what Yahoo, Microsoft and AOL are already offering? I’d love a look at the product spec if it turns out they really are developing one…

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