Following Google, Yahoo emerged as the most popular search engine and email service among internet users. Yahoo has been shown to be beneficial for both emailing and chatting, which is why the majority of internet users have made Yahoo their default site. Yahoo chat room, one of its public chat services, was very popular a few years ago, but things have changed since then. Let’s find out what happened to Yahoo chat rooms and if they are still available.
What are Yahoo Chat Rooms
The Yahoo! Chat room service was first offered as a public chat room service on January 7, 1997. Later, the first public version of Yahoo! Pager was announced, and one of its features was Yahoo! Chat.
The youth of the 1990s have so many memories of speaking with strangers from all over the world on Yahoo Chat rooms, and even befriending some of them.
This programme was renamed Yahoo! Messenger in 1999, and Yahoo entirely shut down the chat room service in 2012. When Yahoo announced that the ‘Yahoo Chat Room’ service will be removed, a substantial number of Yahoo customers were upset.
The justification they gave for this decision was that it would free up room for future expansion and allow them to focus on other Yahoo products that were falling behind.
Yahoo Messenger’s journey
When Yahoo Chat Room was discontinued in 2015, Yahoo launched Yahoo Messenger, which included all of the functionality required for a chat service and performed admirably as a replacement for the chat room service. When it came to Yahoo Messenger’s features, they were similar to those found in other instant messaging apps, such as free text messages, photos, emoticons, GIFs, and so on.
It even allowed users to undo previously delivered messages on Messenger and talk with a group. Yahoo Messenger was extremely popular among chat room users, and features such as VoIP, voicemail, video calling, Yahoo 360 integration, Flickr support, the ability to talk with Facebook friends, and in-chat YouTube streaming set it apart from the competition.
Some Amazing Feature of Yahoo Messenger
1. Undo Sent Messages
It’s a crucial function because it allows you to quickly rectify any mistakes you make when conversing. And you’ll be relieved to learn that Yahoo Messenger once featured this feature, similar to what you get with Whatsapp these days, although Yahoo Messenger had it a long time ago.
2. GIFs Options
Send your family and friends intriguing and fun GIFs to liven up the conversation with Yahoo Messenger.
3. Compatibility
Yahoo Messenger is not just available for use on computers, but it is also compatible with a variety of other devices. This makes it quicker and more comfortable to access your chats on the go.
4. Group Chats option
Yahoo Messenger even allowed for group chats. You can form a group and utilise it as a discussion platform if you find others who share your interests. You may even use this function to manage your workplace work by creating a group with your coworkers.
5. Offline Function
The lack of an internet connection made it difficult for Yahoo Messenger users to continue having fun. As a result, Yahoo’s offline features were frosting on the cake, allowing users to attach files even while they were offline.
Why Discontinuation of Yahoo Chat Room Services
On July 17, 2018, Yahoo! Messenger was deactivated completely. However, on April 4, 2019, it was partially replaced with a new service called Yahoo Together, which was also canceled. As a result, Yahoo’s IM services are currently without a successor.
It is a normal practice for reputable services such as Yahoo to suspend portions of its services. They are continuously on the lookout for new opportunities, even if it means putting a stop to present ones. Other key aspects that must be addressed before making such a decision include user dropout, the advent of competitive services, financial loss, and so on.
According to a statement made by Yahoo, the company decided to discontinue Yahoo Messenger in order to devote more time and resources to other communication tools.
Some Best Alternatives of Yahoo Chat Room
Although the Yahoo chat room is no longer available, there are various other options that have been added to the list of programs that allow individuals to communicate. Alternatives to Yahoo Chat Rooms include the following.
- Eharmony
- SugarDaddie
- Loveme
- Skype
- Facebook messenger
- Chat Room
Although there are few similarities between these options and Yahoo Chat Rooms, they are still a great options for sharing messages, media files, and conversations via voice or video calls.
Final Words
Yahoo Messenger was shut down permanently on July 17, 2018. After some time, Yahoo launched a new service called ‘Yahoo Together,’ which was shut down on April 4th, 2019. Yahoo didn’t provide any support or replacement for its chat room services after that.
When Yahoo users learned about the cancellation of its chat room service, they were disappointed. Even if Yahoo users were surprised, it is usual for well-known corporations like Yahoo to stop some of their less popular services in order to focus their resources on those that will be more valuable to them in the future.
Rather than focusing on sectors that aren’t getting much attention, every organization will hunt for places where there are greater opportunities for growth. And that is exactly what Yahoo did when it decided to discontinue its Yahoo chat room and messaging service in order to concentrate on other goods and services.
