Yahoo Introduces OpenID Sign Ins

Yahoo has opened its network of sites to third-party authentication through Facebook and Google OpenIDs.  This allows many millions of people to sign into their network and interact on Yahoo using their Facebook or Google logins. This system will remove the necessity of users having to register for an additional new ID and create another password.

Users of Yahoo’s popular photo sharing website will now be able to log on using their Facebook accounts. If they have a Yahoo email account and a Google or Facebook account, they now have the option to log in using their Facebook or Google log in details.
The thinking behind this new introduction is Yahoo’s wish to become more up-to-date and relevant to modern internet users. Yahoo hopes that this will give their network the opportunity to reach more people and increase its number of sign-up rates by simplifying and speeding up the log-in process. Yahoo has also realised that it is in the company’s interest to make the authentication process easier for users.

Whilst this certainly makes it easier for users on Yahoo services including their web analytics, can this be seen as a sign of them losing further market share to their competitors, who have yet to reciprocate this move?  .