AOL Instant Messenger to shut down permanently on Dec. 15
AOL Instant Messenger -- better known as AIM, and once a staple of the online world -- will close down on Dec. 15 this year, according to Verizon's Oath, which controls the AOL brand.
Oath announced the deadline via official posts on Twitter and Tumblr. No replacement is planned, and the company didn't mention any archival or transition efforts.
AIM originally launched as a Windows app in 1997, and helped to codify much of the lingo and design language around online messaging, even becoming a staple of pop culture. For Mac and iOS users it eventually became accessible through various first- and third-party clients, among them Apple's iChat and Messages. This broad support made it a useful way for Mac and Windows users to communicate with each other.
In recent years, however, it has been eclipsed by other multi-platform messaging services, such as WhatsApp, Slack, Google, and Facebook Messenger. Official AIM clients are still available to download, but haven't been updated in years.
In September, Apple removed AIM support from the High Sierra version of Messages, likely reflecting AIM's decline and the company's awareness of an impending shutdown.
Oath announced the deadline via official posts on Twitter and Tumblr. No replacement is planned, and the company didn't mention any archival or transition efforts.
AIM originally launched as a Windows app in 1997, and helped to codify much of the lingo and design language around online messaging, even becoming a staple of pop culture. For Mac and iOS users it eventually became accessible through various first- and third-party clients, among them Apple's iChat and Messages. This broad support made it a useful way for Mac and Windows users to communicate with each other.
In recent years, however, it has been eclipsed by other multi-platform messaging services, such as WhatsApp, Slack, Google, and Facebook Messenger. Official AIM clients are still available to download, but haven't been updated in years.
In September, Apple removed AIM support from the High Sierra version of Messages, likely reflecting AIM's decline and the company's awareness of an impending shutdown.
Comments
we are the greatest generation
Remember the days when you had to get off the internet if the missus wanted to make a phone call?
I just deleted my AIM client on iOS. Never even used it for the reason I installed it: Someone wanted me to acquire yet another online account to chat with her (via a clone of the also defunct Google Talk), and I already have 160+ internet accounts to keep track of. I asked her to acquire an AIM account since I already had one and AIM was more prevalent than defunct chat systems. Ha ha... Guess she won that battle.
Someone else has already gotten me onto KIK because she wanted off of OKCupid. Sigh. What a constant tail-chasing scenario, these chat services (as I watch my cat chase her tail; she even hissed at it). I absolutely refuse to be pushed to Facebook's messenger BS (pushed by their website harassing me and blocking the built-in messaging feature on the mobile site).
There's a lesson in there.... especially for all the people building their internet 'homes' on these services.