AOL is launching, together with web-conferencing firm WebEx Communications, two versions of its Instant Messenger designed for businesses - one version (AIM Pro) aimed at the self-employed and small business, the other (unnamed) for larger enterprises - reports CNET. Both offer a customized interface, enhanced security, voice, video and web collaboration.

AOL pioneered IM more than a decade ago and has more than half of worldwide market share; it is facing competition from Microsoft and Yahoo, each of which now allows its customers to communicate with those of the other.

Instant messaging has become a collaborative tool in business, with some 135 million users in organizations of all sizes, with the user base expected to grow to 477 million by 2009, according to the Radicati Group, writes Red Herring.