News today that Zoho is now allowing logins using either a Google or a Yahoo account login. The login utilises Goggle/Yahoo’s authentication API. This seemingly small change is pretty massive in that it allows a whole new level of cross application sharing and collaboration.

Apart from logging into Zoho with existing accounts, users also have an option to import contacts from Google and Yahoo! accounts to the Contacts section under Zoho Accounts.

This functionality is also useful for sharing documents. Now documents can readily be shared with other who have Google or Yahoo! accounts. They can login to Zoho with their Google or Yahoo! credentials and view shared documents without having to create new Zoho Accounts.

Zoho has the following to say to justify this move;

Why this move?
zoho-lifehacker-poll.pngWe obviously want many users to try out and use our applications. Apart from that, we noticed that when users try Zoho, they prefer our apps to competition. This Lifehacker poll conducted few months back for example gives you a snapshot.

There are two takeaways from the poll like the one above (and other polls we conducted).

  1. Many users don’t prefer creating yet another account for yet another online app
  2. Users prefer Zoho to Competition when they try both (In case of the above poll, around 75% prefer Zoho)

We hope this little feature is useful. More than these polls, we want to hear from you if this is useful. Please do let us know your feedback.

No matter the reasons, we’re seeing Zoho go from strength to strength – it needs to be borne in mind that Zoho is a small privately funded startup located in India, they’re doing something that Google, will their billions in disposable income, seem unable or unwilling to do.

Ben Kepes

Ben Kepes is a technology evangelist, an investor, a commentator and a business adviser. Ben covers the convergence of technology, mobile, ubiquity and agility, all enabled by the Cloud. His areas of interest extend to enterprise software, software integration, financial/accounting software, platforms and infrastructure as well as articulating technology simply for everyday users.

3 Comments
  • Explain, “doing something that Google, will their billions in disposable income, seem unable or unwilling to do.” – what is it they, Zoho, are doing that Google aren’t?

  • Mike – have you tried logging into Google apps with your Yahoo ID? Sharing a google sheet with a Zoho account holder? Had your MSN contacts sync to your Google account?

  • Mike : Thanks for your query. Zoho has quite a few business-centric apps – project management, invoicing, HR, CRM, DB & reporting to name a few. And all of Zoho’s apps are feature rich. Try Zoho with your Google or Yahoo! account 😉

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