Millennials will keep in mind: In the 2000s, mobile phone costs had been costly – messaging service ICQ offered an answer. Now it’s lastly discontinued.
Instant messaging service ICQ was most likely the primary messaging service for a lot of – will probably be historical past on June 26, 2024.
For Gen Z: ICQ was one thing like that Predecessor of WhatsApp, Signal, Snapchat and Co. You can use ICQ Chat with your pals at no cost – at a time when low-cost cell phones had been unaffordable for most individuals.
The firm doesn’t give a purpose
In 2020, the Russian firm VK, which owns ICQ, tried the service underneath the title “ICQ New” with a brand new look and a newly up to date design. Four years later, it is lastly over.
“ICQ will not be lively from June 26, 2024”, stated the transient on the web site. No purpose is given. This marks the top of an period, though most individuals most likely did not even know ICQ nonetheless existed.
ICQ was launched in 1996 by the Israeli firm Mirabilis. The title refers back to the phrase “I would like you.” Internet pioneer AOL purchased the service for a number of hundred million {dollars} in 1998 in the course of the early Internet increase.
In later years, ICQ was taken over by different messaging providers. In 2010, the service was taken over by the Russian firm VK, which now operates as an area Facebook clone of VK. Alternatively, customers on the web site are really useful to make use of the VK Messenger chat service.