America Online's popular AOL Instant Messaging looks to be developing a real-time video dating service, the New York Times reported earlier this week.
Executive vice president for messaging Steven McArthur told the newspaper video dating was a "logical" idea, considering the millions who use instant messaging programs in general and AIM in particular. And he added that a video dating service including sound is a near-future possibility.
Forrester Research thinks USA Interactive's popular dating service, Match.com, might become a viable partner with an AIM video dating service, particularly given that Match.com hosts AOL's AOL@Love section.
AOL "expects to make money from companies using instant messaging to provide customer service, as way of reducing phone bills," MacArthur told the Times.
