Is Google readying Android alternative to Blackberry Messenger and iMessage?

There has been a wide spread of instant messaging amongst people with the introduction of RIM's Blackberry Messenger and Apple's iMessage. Since Google decided to join the Mobile market with the Android OS, it was taken for granted that it would be only a matter of time before they too came up with their own instant messenger platform to rival Blackberry and Apple. Knowing Google, it does not