In another case of “follow the leader,” following the release of Google’s own social network, Google+, it seems Microsoft may have “accidentally” leaked its own beta version, Tulalip, but some industry analysts observe the move as deliberate.

Apparently the details of Microsoft’s potentially forthcoming social networking site were inadvertently published on the website Socl.com. But shortly after the preview appeared, developers pulled the application down. An apology was issued by Microsoft, which says, “Thanks for stopping by. Socl.com is an internal design project from a team in Microsoft Research which was mistakenly published to the web. We didn’t mean to, honest.”

As Gizmodo points out “internal design project” was likely code for “new social-networking site.” With the recent media swarm over Google+, it’s more than possible Microsoft is looking for some of that attention.

Several media outlets reported that Microsoft accidentally exposed the splash page for a project internally named Tulalip late Thursday.

According to a screen capture of the splash page, the site appears to invite users to share via Facebook and Twitter, saying “With Tulalip, you can Find what you need and Share what you know easier than ever.”

The application allowed users to log-in through Facebook and Twitter accounts “and by design of the site, allow users to share content in some way,” the International Business Times reported.

Pointing to the extreme success of Facebook and Twitter, the IBT report points out that Microsoft is again “late to the party,” even if it’s able to offer something different.

“But even if it has some cool new features, which is unknown right now, Microsoft is late to the party once again,” the July 15 report said.

Google is now saying that Google+ has in excess of 10 million members and climbing, though the network is still in beta testing, TechZone reported.