Microsoft’s Windows Live division is planning on developing a new service that it says will compete with the reigning kings of digital content: Flickr and YouTube, according to a job advertisement placed on its site a few days ago.
The advertisement declared: “Come make Windows Live the best place to share your digital memories! Heard of Flickr? YouTube? How about .Mac?”
The advertised position is for project manager which would involve working across the Windows Live division including Messenger and Hotmail as well as the new social networking site Spaces.
According to the advert: “This feature team is building a next-generation photo and video sharing service that will compete with Flickr, smugmug and other photo web solutions today. This is a ‘v1’ opportunity.”
Although Flickr and YouTube are dominant applications, Microsoft has the advantage of multiple platforms for distribution and integration of its future photo and video sharing service in the form of the PC, Media Centre and the Xbox 360m, making it more platform neutral.
Currently Windows Live Photo Gallery actually supports third-party photo sharing integration in the form of Flickr, its future competitor.
By Marie Boran
