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MIT's compatible Time-Sharing System (CTSS),
MIT's compatible Time-Sharing System (CTSS), along with other multi-user operating system, helps to pioneer instant messaging by allowing up to 30 users to chat in real-time. -
Internet Relay Chat(IRC)
Internet Relay Chat(IRC) allows users to connect to networks with client software to chat with groups in real-time. IRC peaked in popularity in the 1990s, but still has hundreds of thousands of users today. -
Period: to
LATE '90s
As the 20 th century comes to a close, the first major IM platforms ICQ, AIM, MSN, and Yahoo all battle for market share in the new instant messaging market. -
The first SMS message
The first SMS message, "Merry Christmas", is sent over the Vodafone GSM network in the U.K. in December -
ISRAEL COMPANY MIRABILIS LAUNCHES ICQ.
Israel company Mirabilis launches ICQ, which allowed users to chat one-on-one in group, exchange files, and search for other users. At its peak in 2001, ICQ had over 100 million accounts registered. -
AOL Launches AOL Instant Messenger (AIM).
AOL Launches AOL Instant Messenger (AIM), Which pioneers the "Buddy List" concept. By the mid-2000s, AIM has the largest share of the instant messeging market in North America with 52% -
Yahoo! Messenger.
Yahoo! Messenger, launches allowing users with a Yahoo! ID to connect. Across the Pacific Ocent, Tencent Holdings launches its first successfut app. It's called QQ, and it is initially a near -exact clone of ICQ -
Microsoft realeases MSN messeger
Microsoft realeases MSN messeger, a competitor to AIM and Yahoo! By 2005, roughly 2.3 billion messeges are sent eact day on the platform. -
In 2001
In 2001, only 30 million SMS text messeges were sent per month in the United Stated. -
Apple launches
Apple launches ichat for its Mac OS X operating system, which is compatible with AIM. -
SKYPE
Skype allows Internet users to communicate with others thouhh video, vioce and instant messeging. -
Google Talk
Google Talk, available within Gmail itselt, is launched to allow easy communication between email contacts. -
MySpace
MySpace launches the first instant mes-saging platform built within a social network: MySpacelM -
Facebook Chat
Facebook Chat is related, allowing Facebook users to messege friends or groups of friends on the social network. Now known as Facebook Messenger,, the app was effectively decoupled from the main Facebook app in 2014. This move accelerated the growth of Messeger's user base. -
Whatsapp
An upstart Whatsapp, allows users to send texts, pictures, video, and audio-all for free, appealing to consumers who are tired of paying for SMS.
