TechCrunch: AOL Instant Messenger is Shutting Down After 20 Years

The original online chat app will soon be shutting down. According to a recent TechCrunch article, AOL Instant Messenger will shut down on December 15th after running since 1997. With SMS and social apps like Whatsapp and Facebook, AOL is no longer dominating and will be giving up the fight.

“We know there are so many loyal fans who have used AIM for decades; and we loved working and building the first chat app of its kind since 1997” wrote AOL on the AIM help page. “Our focus will always be on providing the kind of innovative experiences consumers want. We’re more excited than ever to focus on building the next generation of iconic brands and life-changing products.”

AIM’s away messages were similar to modern-day tweets and status updates. With so much competition in the market, AOL fell from being valued at $224 billion to just $4 .4 billion when it was sold to Verizon in 2015. That same year, Whatsapp was sold to Facebook for $19 billion.

Click here to read the full story.