Facebook and 'Project Titan' to directly challenge email platforms?

by Steven Mostyn - Nov 15 2010, 12:20

With 500 million users already aligned with its market-leading social networking experience, Facebook now looks set to expand its reach by directly competing with the likes of Google and Yahoo in the email space.

At least that’s according to the usually reliable folks over at TechCrunch, who are reporting today that Facebook’s mysterious ‘Project Titan’ is actually a web-based email client that’s been labelled the ‘Gmail Killer’ internally.

Citing unnamed sources, the report points to a Facebook “special event” that’s scheduled for later today in San Francisco, during which the networking giant will formally introduce its email client along with an official @facebook.com web address.

“Our understanding is that this is more than just a UI refresh for Facebook’s existing messaging service with POP access tacked on,” outlined the report. “Rather, Facebook is building a full-fledged webmail client, and while it may only be in early stages come its launch Monday, there’s huge amount of potential here.”

Facebook has yet offered any official comment regarding the content that will be revealed during its upcoming event. However, another train of thought that’s recently pulled in to Grand Rumour Central suggests little more than an overhaul to Facebook’s existing messaging service.

The truth will out at 10 a.m. this Monday morning (that’s 6 p.m. GMT).

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