In the last post, I stated that AOL enabled 20 million users with OpenID’s. I culled that number from a 2006 article in Information Week about AOL’s subscriber base.
I was wrong. Via Sam Ruby, I see that AOL has enabled anyone with an AOL instant messenger ID with OpenID. So we’re not talking 20 million OpenID’s, we’re talking more than three times that – 63 million AIM accounts at last count (and there are definitely more, as that stat was from May 2006). I left an OpenID comment with my AIM screenname at the ClaimID blog – it worked perfectly.
Wow. 63 million AIM acounts = 63 million OpenID’s. Just like that. Scott Kveton, knock number 4 and (a good part of) number 2 off your list.
Just read your very relevant comment at TechCrunch about OpenID…
AIM + OpenID has some interesting implications…
Do you know of any innovative OpenID (or similar system) implementation in the mobile space?
Hey Sayan, hows it going. Hope Pittsburgh isn’t too cold!
I have heard a little about OpenID and mobile systems. OpenID is a protocol, and the authentication mechanism is not set in the protocol. So theoretically you could have a voice-pattern auth, or a text message challenge-response auth. Therefore it is a very natural fit for phones (especially because your phone number is a singluar identity URI, essentially).
These comments have been invaluable to me as is this whole site. I thank you for your comment.