One of the earliest messaging apps, ICQ, will retire on June 26 | WPN World People News

The instant messaging software ICQ, which evokes countless people's youthful memories, will officially cease service on June 26, 2024. Since its launch in 1996, this software has been a shared memory for hundreds of millions of users worldwide, but now, nearly 30 years later, it is about to become history.

ICQ was launched in November 1996 by the Israeli company Mirabilis. The name is derived from the English phrase 'I Seek You'. After installation, users could send messages and files instantly, which quickly made ICQ popular. In 1998, America Online (AOL) acquired ICQ, and in 2010, ICQ was sold to the Russian company Mail.Ru Group (now VK).

ICQ peaked in 2001 with over 100 million registered users. However, as other instant messaging tools like MSN and Skype emerged, and social platforms like Facebook and Twitter became popular, ICQ's market share gradually declined. By the time Mail.Ru acquired ICQ in 2010, daily active users had dropped to around 42 million.

ICQ was once a favorite among users in Taiwan and around the world, especially during the dial-up internet era, when many users would boast about their ICQ account numbers to show how long they had been online. However, as the internet developed rapidly and competition in the instant messaging market intensified, ICQ was gradually replaced by newer tools. Even though ICQ later launched a mobile version and attempted to attract old users back, it ultimately could not reverse the decline.

The official website has announced that ICQ will cease operations on June 26 and recommends users switch to VK Messenger to continue keeping in touch with friends. This news has elicited a sense of nostalgia among long-time users globally, marking the end of an era in communication.