LimeWire 5.0 will soon be available before the end of this year, Kevin Bradshaw, LimeWire’s CEO revealed. With the new version, users can choose to set up personal networks based on existing contacts and exchange information selectively with their friends.

“When Lime Wire was launched in 2000, we were pioneers in the peer-to-peer file sharing world, and we have seen that world change as our users have grown with us,” Bradshaw said. “The peer-to-peer world has always had an inherently social aspect to it, and with our next version, we are bringing social sharing to the forefront. We see Lime Wire 5.0 not only enhancing our current users’ capabilities, but the new program has the potential to create a new generation of Lime Wire users who are interested in connecting, sharing, socializing and discovering.”

LimeWire 5.0 will allow users to:

Set up secure personal sharing networks based on existing contacts; users can choose to limit distribution to personal network only

Integrate buddy lists from Jabber-compatible services

Provide better virus protection

Interface with The LimeWire Store

Easier navigation with a new visual design of both website and application allowing users more security and better ability to manage shared files, download, search and connect with friends

LimeWire is the largest free P2P file-sharing software with over 70 million unique monthly users (and this includes me). It has been downloaded 350,000 times everyday and boasts approximately 5 million active users at any moment.