Google has announced that they are now using OpenID for its signup process. So now, Yahoo users can now sign up for a Google account using their existing e-mail address.
For me, this is big news for one main reason. It signifies that Yahoo is giving up – in a smart way. Understanding that Google is who they are. And by playing nice, they get to keep playing. And their users will appreciate their compatibility with more and more of the Web. On Google’s side, their move to OpenID helps them convert more people through the e-mail verification process. Rather than relying on people opening up new Gmail accounts they’ll never check, simply to get a Google ID.
A classic win-win situation. At this time, Google is only offering the OpenID feature for Yahoo users, but intends to expand support to other services.