Google liberates Google+

After 12 weeks as an invitation-only service, Google has removed the restrictions to its social networking effort, Google+, saying the platform has moved from 'field trial' to 'beta'.

Vic Gundotra, senior vice president of engineering, made the announcement on the Google blog, at the same time introducing a host of new features, mostly related to new 'hangout' platforms.

"The Google+ project has been in field trial for just under 90 days, and in that time we've made 91 different improvements," Gundotra writes.

"Google+ is still in its infancy, of course, but we're more excited than ever to bring the nuance and richness of real-life sharing to software.

"For the past 12 weeks we've been in field trial, and during that time we've listened and learned a great deal. We're nowhere near done, but with the improvements we've made so far we're ready to move from field trial to beta.

Until now, it has been difficult to compare Google+ with social networking colossus Facebook, as slow growth for the newcomer could be explained away by the sign-up restrictions.  The two are now in true competition, though, and Google looks committed to a fight to the finish. May the best network win.

What do you think of the looming Google+/Facebook battle?