AOL users can now send free Instant Messages and SMSes to mobile phones through their desktop AOL Mail or AOL Messenger (AIM) service. This feature also enables the recipient mobile user to respond to those messages instantly.

Users with an AOL.in email id can add a "buddy" with an India mobile number and send an SMS instantly. This service is supported on Airtel, Vodafone, Spice, Aircel and MTNL.

AOL recently announced the AOL Open Mobile Platform, which it plans to make available to developers this summer. The new open platform will help stimulate innovation by providing developers with ready access to the tools and source code they need to build and distribute applications across all major mobile device platforms and operating systems including BREW, Java, Linux, RIM, Symbian and Windows Mobile.