AOL is readying the next version of client software with improvements to their instant messaging software. AOL was previously prohibited from developing such services due to a prior FCC ban.
The new version will incorporate Video Conferencing for the first time. The software is currently in beta testing and will be released in early 2004 and will be available to both AOL and AIM users.
While Apple's iChat AV software offers text-chat interoperability with AOL's Instant Messaging service, the new Video Chat service is not interoperable with iChat AV.
Some have expected that Apple will port iChat AV itself to Windows, but there are no reliable reports confirming this.
