End of an era: After 30 years, ICQ will close on June 26 – Internet

The news published on ICQ’s website comes as a bittersweet reminder of the platform’s glory days and its decline in the face of fierce competition.

ICQ, launched by Israeli developer Mirabilis in 1996, revolutionized online communications, allowing users to communicate with friends and acquaintances. The application quickly gained mass appeal, becoming a household name alongside other popular software of the time, such as mIRC and popular FTP clients.

In its heyday, ICQ was a phenomenon, its distinctive “uh-oh” sound alerting users to incoming messages and user identification numbers serving as digital badges of honour. It is worth noting that many people still remember the number they had in ICQ, despite its many numbers. For many, the platform served as their introduction to the world of instant messaging, paving the way for countless apps and services that followed in its footsteps.

However, as competitors such as AOL Instant Messenger and MSN Messenger entered the market, ICQ’s dominance began to decline. Despite its continued popularity in Russia, where it was acquired by Digital Sky Technologies in 2010, the platform has struggled to maintain relevance in the rapidly evolving digital landscape.

A glimmer of hope appeared in 2020 when a new version of ICQ was released, but the excitement was short-lived. The software has been deprecated in recent years, with the last stable desktop version arriving last April, and smartphone versions being discontinued in favor of current owner VK’s messaging system.

As the countdown begins until June 26, ICQ users can still reminisce about the memories and friendships made through the platform. Some may also try to log in one last time, hoping to reconnect with lost contacts or simply bid farewell to a part of their digital history.