AIM Is Shutting Down
Internet citizens were awakened this morning by shocking news: AIM, a pioneer in the world of Internet messaging, is shutting down 20 years later. The service will officially end on December 15, with no official replacement plans from Oath , a Verizon-owned company that includes America Online and Yahoo.
The influence of AIM is still relevant
AIM was an immediate hit when it launched in 1997, even if AOL never fully embraced the idea of free messaging on the Internet. For millions of people, this was the first experience of instant text communication. I still remember using AIM in middle and high school – that’s how I learned to type.
AIM has also introduced the concept of updating status via absent messages to the Internet. A simple line of text to explain your absence or to make a joke has inspired modern online giants like Facebook, Twitter, and even WhatsApp.
The message in the blog announcing the news, Michael Albers, vice president of products due to the Oath, described the importance of AIM, recognizing that the messaging service has not been used for many years.
“AIM has tapped into new digital technologies and caused a cultural shift,” he wrote, “but the way we communicate with each other has changed a lot.”
Oath says it will not offer a replacement for AIM after it closes later this year – there are already more than enough options. The company has also detailed how you can access and save your old chat logs and shared images on their FAQ page , in case there is anything you want to save before the messaging service goes down in a little over two months. …