Yahoo Messenger shuts down after 20-year run
It was one of the first instant messaging apps, but it struggled to keep up with WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger.
Instant messaging service Yahoo messenger shut down on Tuesday after a 20-year run. Users can download their chat history during the next six months, reported The Times of India.
Verizon, which acquired Yahoo in 2017, did not give an explanation for shutting the messenger service down, according to a Business Insider report on June 8. Yahoo Messenger users will now be reportedly redirected to Squirrel service, which is currently invite only.
“We know we have many loyal fans who have used Yahoo Messenger since its beginning as one of the first chat apps of its kind,” Yahoo said in a press release in June. “As the communications landscape continues to change over, we’re focusing on building and introducing new, exciting communications tools that better fit consumer needs.”
Yahoo Messenger was one of the first instant messaging applications introduced, but later it struggled to keep up with other apps like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger and Snapchat. In 2009, Yahoo Messenger had 122.6 million users. It also found a niche within oil and commodity traders in the 1990s because it was free, easy to use, and was quickly solidified as their main method of communication.