Google+ purchase to bolster circles

Google has purchased New York-based group site Fridge, in a sign the public’s focus on the Google+ ‘circles’ feature has not gone unnoticed.

With estimates placing the number of Google+ users in the neighbourhood of 20 million, the search giant is expected to focus on enhancing the site’s network management feature as it prepares to open the site for general access.

A blog posted on Fridge yesterday reads, "It has been an amazing ride developing Fridge… we strongly believe in the group social experience and couldn’t think of a better place to realise our vision of bringing the nuance and richness of real-life sharing to the web as part of the Google+ project.”

Since its launch three weeks ago, Google+ has attracted 20 million unique visitors, according to web traffic analyst comScore. These may not translate to Google+ accounts as at this ‘developmental’ stage the site’s membership is by invite only, but it is certainly a sign of strong interest.

Initial reviews have concentrated on the ‘circles’ feature, which allows users to group their contacts and control what information goes to whom.