ICQ will close on June 26 this year

In many ways, ICQ has always been intriguing. It was one of the first major instant messaging clients in the 1990s. It has seen widespread adoption alongside the likes of AOL Instant Messenger and MSN Messenger. However, it has outperformed both despite not being associated with an industry powerhouse like AOL or Microsoft. But after 27 years, it looks like the final petal will fall as it falls Close ICQ It was announced on the ICQ website on June 26, 2024.

Originally Launched Founded by an Israeli company, Mirabilis, in June 1996, it took the Internet by storm, leading to AOL’s purchase of Mirabilis in June 1998. Under AOL’s wing, ICQ continued to grow its user base until it was sold to Digital Sky Technologies (in 2010 Around this time, companies like Facebook and Google came on the scene, with their own messaging solutions, causing ICQ to falter and eventually, ICQ found a new home in the Russian market as a mobile messaging system until its impending closure To VK Messenger instead.

Obviously, the demise of ICQ led to a Nostalgia explosion On sites like Hacker News, although it has lost its relevance in the West for many years. We are sad to see this chapter come to an end and will mourn the demise of UINs (RIP, 61007952) along with our fellow citizens in the usual IRC channels.

This is what happens when you depend on the network. Going off the grid doesn’t have to look homemade either.