Yahoo emerged as the mightiest search engine and email service provider after Google. It soon started rendering various other services. A messenger was one of them, initially released 23 years ago on 9 March 1998. Yahoo Messenger was the most dependable means of online conversation in the late ’90s. It offered tons of unique features that anybody can avail of using a valid Yahoo id.
The Evolution of Yahoo Messenger
As we mentioned earlier, Yahoo Messenger emerged as the only best means of online chatting. Well, it was much more than that. Formerly known as Yahoo Pager, it came with all the essential features at first. Users were able to send instant messages and use chat rooms with ease. One could also create a buddies list, know via a notification when they’re online, upload status, and block anyone.
Yahoo Messenger arose as a new name in June 1999 with several additional features, including files transfer.
Later around 2002, version 5.5 made available the video call feature at a 320×240 frame. Yahoo also launched Yahoo Messenger Enterprise Messenger. It bestowed a more secure and better SSL for business purposes at a $30 yearly subscription. Version 6.0 of Yahoo Messenger introduced games, music, photos, and Yahoo search. Version 7.0 added VoIP, voicemail, drag-and-drop file share, Yahoo 360, and LAUNCHcast. After that, Skype served as its biggest rival. It does not end here.
A few unique Key Features
Below, take a look at the unique chief features rendered by this platform at that time.
- Heavy File Sharing: Yahoo Messenger allowed to share files up to 2GB. One could share almost all the file types. 2GB was quite a larger size at that time, and Yahoo was the only one to afford that. GIFs, which are much trending these days, were available to send from Tumblr back then!
- Unsend and Like: We have seen the ‘Unsend’ feature only in a few high-tech platforms such as WhatsApp and Instagram. Can you even imagine Yahoo provided that 20 years ago? It’s the truth. It deletes messages from both parties. Also, the new version added a ‘like’ option to the chats.
- Group Chats: The platform also allowed private group chats, among the ‘buddies’ feature. Yahoo Chat emerged as the best available Chat Room One could make public and private rooms with ease. It worked just the way Reddit works nowadays. It opens several subreddit platforms to discuss publically.
- Voice and Video: We get to experience these types of features nowadays. But Yahoo introduced them so many years ago. Messenger allowed users to send voice messages to anyone. Also, the later version came with the support of video and voice calls over the internet.
Yahoo Chat Room- Launch and Shut Down
Yahoo Chat Room made a launch on 7 January 1997 and was the messenger’s first name. At the time of its launch, it was just a user-to-user text messenger. Later, it expanded its aura and proved its excellence. Intriguing millions of users worldwide, the service shook hands with NBC and NewsCorp to host Chat Events. Eventually, Chat Room attracted broadcast partners, hosting 340+ events in a month with 100+ entities. In June 1988, the platform hosted the Internet’s most enormous event with Hanson, a music group.
In March 1988, the name Yahoo Pager came into existence before Yahoo Messenger. However, in June 2005, Yahoo disabled all its users to create their own rooms, with no warning. It also provoked the advertisers to show ads, resulting in heavy losses. After a few more restrictions in November 2012, Yahoo eventually shut down the platform. And that was the end of an era. We believe the main reason was that Yahoo chose to focus on other of its services.
Best Alternative to Yahoo Messenger/Chat Room
Realizing that it was a mistake to shut down Messenger, Yahoo launched another chatting platform in July 2018. Although the name was Yahoo Together, it failed to bring people together. Several high-tech platforms gave birth to a new era. About a year later, in April 2019, Yahoo again ceased its newly opened service. Keeping all that aside, let’s focus on the present scenario. Tons of apps and websites are live to chat with several interactive features. We have compiled a fresh list for you. Below are the leading apps and platforms that offer several unique features for free. If you already have one or two of them, take a look at the others.
- What’s App: The best communication app you’ll ever discover is WhatsApp. Technically a smartphone app, you can also use it on the web. You have to open WhatsApp Web on your browser and scan the QR from your smartphone app.
- Telegram: Telegram is a heavy-duty smartphone app. Like What’s App, you can log in to your account on the web. But unlikely, it allows you to send heavy files. It is considered similar to Yahoo Messenger when you transfer files. It can transfer any file up to 2GB.
- Facebook Messenger: A long time back, Facebook launched Messenger and has only improved it since then. This is the best way to merge your Facebook friends with your contacts. It bestows you every conventional feature such as Group creation, Voice call, Video call, and much more.
- Skype: If you are looking for a messenger perfect at voice and video calls, Skype is a perfect option. You can manage it for personal as well as business purposes. It offers you the best solution to manage your business meetings at a relatively low cost.
- Instagram: This leading social media platform, is the most decent when it comes to messaging. It has the most interactive features compared to any other platform. You can handily make groups, change the messaging theme, voice, and video call with ease, and also manage a live session effortlessly.
These were the industry-leading apps and platforms for online communication. Tons of other programs offer the same and fewer features. Some of the leading platforms in this industry are Whatsapp, Instagram, Facebook Messenger, Snapchat, Viber, and many more. If you already have some of those and still want a better alternative to Yahoo Messenger, then go with ‘Chatt Room’. It offers you buckets of features that barely any other does. You can either talk with your loved ones or start a conversation with strangers. It also allows you to hide your identity and chat anonymously for free.
