Hotmail, Gmail, Yahoo Have Company

Time Warner company America Online is entering the free web email fray, though it would be available to people who are not currently its subscribers only by late next year. The service is expected to have features similar to those currently available with Hotmail, Yahoo and Gmail, all with huge fan followings. The AOL email will have address book, filter for spam, signature, search and a folder manager.

It is speculated that the free mail will be launched along with a new version of its instant messenger, AIM. There's also speculation that the move is part of AOL's plan to offer a wider range of free services and earn advertising revenue like Gmail, Hotmail and Yahoo. The service could have a storage limit of 100 MB, far less than what its competitors currently provide. The free email service, called 'Email on the Web", is currently in beta.

With so many players already crowed and battling in this game, AOL's entry might have significane only if its features apart from hefty mail storage, is notabe than its rivals. Since gmail is about to leave its beta stage very soon, the time AOL takes to enter the mail market will play a critical role.