M icrosoft is preparing to bring its MSN Internet service to Mac OS X. The company began testing Mac-based MSN service in a test market earlier this year, and has decided to bring it to the broader market. According to a Reuters report, the service will be offered sometime this fall.
MSN is an ISP service designed to compete with AOL, and includes browser-based content unique to MSN. This follows the AOL-model by attempting to offer users/members much of what they could get in the Internet-at-large. As growth for AOL and MSN has slowed, but companies have been more willing to turn to the Mac platform for new users. From the Reuters report:
The browser, MSN for Mac OS X, takes direct aim at online services rival AOL Time Warner Inc.is America Online, which unveiled a version of its Internet service and software for Appleis latest operating system last week.
Microsoftis newest MSN browser will be available only with MSNis Internet access service or as a separate subscription. It is being revamped to add features that make it easier for users to manage e-mail, protect their personal computers from viruses, handle digital photos, and browse the Web.
MSN 8, the latest version for Microsoftis Windows operating system, is set to be released this fall ahead of the Mac version release.
"The goal is basically to reach a new audience," said MSN Product Manager Lisa Gurry. "We havenit had a Macintosh client broadly available before."
You can read the full article at Yahoo!is Web site.