THIS MONDAY WILL see two internet giants face off as Facebook looks set to launch its @facebook email system – which could pose a serious threat to Google’s gmail.

Such is the perceived threat that Facebook’s system is unofficially referred to as the “Gmail killer”.

Despite Facebook having 500 million members, the business’s commercial potential has been relatively limited up until recently. However, Facebook is also tipped to launch its own search engine, which would prioritises results around the known preferences of a user’s circle of friends.

A Facebook search engine coupled with next week’s expected email system launch would make Facebook a comprehensive competitor to Google.

Last week, Google announced a generous 10 per cent pay rise for every single member of staff in the company’s 23,000-strong workforce – but while Googlers across the world rejoice, analysts are interpreting the move as a sign of weakness.

Analyst Colin Gillis of BGC Partners told Reuters:

They don’t have an absolute lock on the top talent anymore. Facebook right now is accumulating top talent and it’s harder for Google to retain people.

Google’s chief executive Eric Schmidt has said that his company, which currently has two-thirds of the search market, has no plans to launch a social networking platform to compete with Facebook.