MySpace has just released a major upgrade for MySpaceID, its product that allows users to sign in to third party sites with their MySpace credentials to import their social graphs and profile information into these third party services. The update addresses many of the features MySpaceID has lacked since it first launched last June, including the ability to syndicate activity feed items from MySpace to third party sites (the ability to send activity items in the opposite direction is coming soon). The new upgrade also incorporates a combination of the OAuth and OpenID authentication systems, allowing users to sign in to external sites using their MySpace credentials.
MySpaceID is comparable to Facebook Connect, allowing users to tap into the data stored on the social network for use on external sites. Its biggest selling point over Facebook is that it is built on the open stack, incorporating OpenSocial, OpenID, and OAuth (in contrast, Facebook Connect is a proprietary system, which makes some developers uneasy).
The upgrades are sure to be a welcome addition to the product, but I can’t help but wonder if MySpace has already missed the boat on this one. Despite announcing its Facebook Connect product a day after MySpace first announced MySpaceID (which was formerly called Data Availability), Facebook still beat MySpace to the punch by months, rolling out Connect in early December. Reception has generally been very positive, with Facebook Connect now supported by a number of popular iPhone applications and thousands of websites. From a more anecdotal perspective, there has been much talk at SXSW about the possibility of Facebook becoming the de facto login standard around the web (a thought that some people are opposed to if the social network doesn’t make good on its promise to become more open). Number of times I’ve heard talk of MySpace becoming the dominant force on the web? Not once.
But all is not lost for MySpace by any means. Yahoo is currently bucket-testing its new homepage, which includes MySpaceID functionality as a featured item in its sidebar (you can see a screenshot below). We haven’t heard when the new page will roll out to everyone, but given that Yahoo’s homepage sees 82 million users a day, it’s sure to provide a big boost to takeup of MySpaceID. MySpace may also be able to make up ground if it can work its media offerings like MySpace Music, which Facebook has been unable to compete with, into MySpaceID.
Now my favorite emo band can check your Yahoo webmail in one click!
Real identity scores in this arena.. Which myspace obviously lacks. Also social networks have better credibility over emails which can be signed up easily.
Very good point. Other social networks may not welcome people signing up as “B14tch”…
That said, this will work well for dedicated MySpace fans who want to use that ID elsewhere on the web. It’s actually pretty easy to support login and social graph portability from this, other OpenID providers and Facebook Connect using JanRain’s RPX product.
We’ll be building it into our site shortly.
Ian Hendry
CEO, WeCanDo.BIZ
http://www.wecando.biz
oh boy, i bet the kiddies will love this.
Myspace is too slow with everything
Oh NO! I can see even more myspace wh**es now…I think it’s waist of time tho…
bare waist of time..
A deal between Yahoo and Myspace would only produce a spike for Myspace.
Fundamentally, both need to revamp their entire product offering. Myspace is a cancerous growth and Yahoo is not that far behind.
Both need to focus on fundamentals, first.
Myspace ID is not even listed as a significant software platform at http://sw.tearn.com/
Besides using open standards (whatever), the big difference here is that MySpace is syndicating their news feed, and facebook hasn’t been willing to.
I think that Facebook is heading to become something like ID 2.0. FB profile should be automatically provided by government for all people reaching age 18.
No child left behind
My space, bebo and others should be used for entertaintment
Thats exactely how I use my FB. Its just sitting there to provide people some static information about me. All other daily (fun) things I do on twitter.
Twitter is more like Business card 2.0, real-time business card
And, btw, Twitter should be also provided by government at age 18. Together with Google account. They have been proven as revolutionary service and shouldn’t be in private hands.
you’re into your “government provided” services !
on reflection, i realized just how stupid the last part of your comment is. so are you saying that all successful services should be nationalized by the government. what utter gibberish.
Oh NO! I can see even more myspace wh**es now…I think it’s waist of time tho…
Who in his right mind cares about these ‘ID’s’? Spammers, I guess. They are useless for commerce, useless for pretty much everything.
how much does Techcrunch hate Myspace ?
LOL, pretty much actually. This blog sounds more and more like a Facebook PR agency. Oh, Twitter’s too.
Could not agree more. I find it odd that TechCrunch did not criticize FaceBook for the horrible new design. Actually, I don’t find it too odd, TC clearly has to be getting some sort of kick back from FB.
Why is TechCrunch at SXSW? Its a music festival, for God’s sake.
SXSW Interactive? Look it up.
Is there really any question about MySpace missing any boat?
.. yeah, 2 very 2 late 4 MySpace already!!!!
… MySpace is trying to magnetize 2 much with bunch of ads & ads.
If it was not selling 2 the media company & keep running by the founder. It could have a different fate.
Check out the chart 2 see how MySpace had lacked off behind FaceBook.
http://facegle..../93c5ef73a9.jpg
There’s a lot of 2s in that comment. Damn yo. Too lazy to type two letters?
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It’s funny how all the people making observations about the immaturity of MySpace users only make themselves look like imbeciles. MySpace has 70 million users in the US. Those users represent a cross section of people that mirros the US census. Every age, gender, ethnicity and income level is represented there. Ignoring the the third-party public statistics (Comscore) and basing your opinions only on the loud profiles you’ve encountered tells us nothing about MySpace users. It only shows how uninformed you actually are.