Before Whatsapp messenger, Facebook Messenger, Telegram, LINE, IMO, Hangouts among others, there existed AIM, ICQ and the then King Yahoo Messenger. As many of the then popular apps have faded from the mainstream, replace by the likes of Whatsapp and Facebook Messenger. Yahoo Messenger is finally set to be shut down next month after a 20-year reign.
Yahoo messenger back in the day ruled the internet with its cross-platform and desktop chat client. Drawing back to some of the services that have built Whatsapp into the World’s most popular IM. It cant miss on the list for its Emoji dolls and super effective layouts that once made it the best Instant messaging platform in the world only competing with Google talk.
“We know we have many loyal fans who have used Yahoo Messenger since its beginning as one of tthe first chat apps, We’re focusing on building and introducing new exciting communications tools that better fit consumer needs”
After a 20 year run. Yahoo Messenger will finally be put to rest next month on July 17. However, does this leave an open challenge to the ever evolving African based startups to utilize the IM space? Yahoo which was acquired by the popular American based telco Verizon in 2017 didn’t throw in any explanation for shutting the once most popular Instant messaging platform in the world but we can at least agree that its days are long gone.
What next after Yahoo Messenger
We all know it was one of the first ever IM apps created. Although it struggled to make it to the line with the now robust popular apps like Whatsapp, Facebook Messenger and Snapchat. Its updates and todate operations in this smartphone era have not left it the same as it was trying to squeeze blood out of a stone.
Talking about the future. Whatsapp is still that one dominant Instant Messaging platform. However, with the hunts, Facebook’s currently facing. We might see another robust app take over from Yahoo messenger, Maybe UCC’s self-proclaimed Ugandan based social media service? Nevertheless, as Yahoo is still one of the dominant mail providers. Anyone who used Yahoo Messenger can download their chat history here for the next 6 months.
