WebProNews

Google is set to launch OpenSocial tomorrow a system that will allow developers to build applications for a number of social networks.

Google hopes its OpenSocial system will be able to compete with Facebook, which hosts more than 8,000 widgets and has helped increase its global audience to about 50 million users and raise its market value to $15 billion after Microsoft paid $240 million for 1.6 percent stake in the social network.

OpenSocial has already attracted a number of social networks that will participate in Google's latest venture including Salesforce.com, LinkedIn, Ning, Hi5, Plaxo, Friendster, Viadeo and Oracle. Developers who have signed on include Flixster, iLike, RockYou and Slide.

Google will also feature the applications on its own social network, Orkut, which is popular in South America.

"Orkut has tens of millions of passionate users who are constantly clamoring for new ways to have fun with their friends and express themselves through Orkut," said Amar Gandhi, group product manager for Orkut, Google's social networking service.

"By using OpenSocial to open up Orkut as a platform for any developer, we can tap into the vast creativity of the community and make new features available to our users frequently."