The Finish of ICQ: People Promote to Russians at Half Value – Is This the Definitive Finish?

On the identical time, even 4 years in the past, the operator of ICQ proudly introduced that they have been making ready new capabilities that will take away the competitors. For instance, the applying had to have the ability to keep on-line and ship messages even when there was a weak or low-quality connection – that’s, in conditions the place competing purposes now not work.

After all, there have been many extra modifications within the new ICQ, however as it’s clear now, it was not sufficient to avoid wasting the legendary utility. Now the homeowners have introduced that the operation can be utterly closed on June 26.

“You’ll be able to chat with mates via the VK Messenger utility and with colleagues with the assistance of the VK WorkSpace skilled utility,” hangs an unannounced announcement on the applying’s official web site.

Because the title itself says, the aforementioned contacts belong to the Russian social community VK, previously often known as VKontakte.

It’s value remembering that Pavel Durov is behind this community. However this creator was pushed out of the VK community years in the past by mates of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Nevertheless, he then created the profitable Telegram chat utility.

The historical past of ICQ dates again to 1996, when this utility was created by the Israeli firm Mirabilis. Quickly after, it was clear that it might be an enormous hit. It was additionally due to this that it was purchased two years later by the American web big AOL.

At the moment, the People obtained a communication platform for 400 million {dollars}, ie for 9.12 billion crowns in accordance with the present change fee.

Nevertheless, within the new millennium, the inhabitants started to say no considerably when competing options arrived. Including new capabilities did not assist both, for instance it was potential to play video games with different customers through ICQ.

That can be the rationale why AOL determined to promote ICQ, so the applying went into the palms of the Russian firm Mail.Ru Group in 2010, which is now often known as VK.

However, the Russians purchased ICQ greater than ten years in the past for a lot lower than AOL within the final millennium. The People offered it to them for 187.5 million {dollars} (4.27 billion CZK in accordance with the present change fee).

Though the operators have confirmed the precise date when ICQ will cease working, surprisingly, this is probably not the tip. On the official account on the X platform, a message appeared this week with the textual content: “I will be again!”

That is the immortal line from the film Terminator, which Arnold Schwarzenegger mentioned as a cyborg on the police station when the police would not let him in. A second later, the Terminator despatched the automobile via the doorway of the station and thru the​​​​​​​​​​​​

It’s not clear whether or not we’ll see the return of ICQ or not. What is for certain, nonetheless, is that this well-known utility has already made an indelible mark within the historical past of the Web.

In any case, over the approaching weeks, ICQ customers ought to name their contacts and talk about the best way to proceed from June 26 – the date ICQ goes to be on to close down.

Along with the aforementioned purposes from VK, Fb Messenger, WhatsApp and the already talked about Telegram have grow to be fashionable lately.