Editing AIM (software) (section)

==History==
In May 1997, AIM was released unceremoniously as a stand-alone download for [[Microsoft Windows]].<ref name="mashable">{{cite news |last1=Abbruzzese |first1=Jason |title=The Rise and Fall of AIM, the Breakthrough AOL Never Wanted |url=https://mashable.com/2014/04/15/aim-history/ |access-date=13 December 2020 |publisher=Mashable |date=15 April 2014 |archive-date=November 27, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201127095841/https://mashable.com/2014/04/15/aim-history/ |url-status=live }}</ref> AIM was an outgrowth of "online messages" in the original platform written in PL/1 on a Stratus computer by Dave Brown. At one time, the software had the largest share of the instant messaging market in North America, especially in the United States (with 52% of the total reported {{as of|2006|lc=y}}).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bigblueball.com/forums/general-other-im-news/34413-im-market-share.html |title=IM Market Share&nbsp;— BigBlueBall Forums |publisher=Bigblueball.com |access-date=December 4, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101030030304/http://www.bigblueball.com/forums/general-other-im-news/34413-im-market-share.html |archive-date=October 30, 2010 |url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}</ref> This does not include other instant messaging software related to or developed by AOL, such as [[ICQ]] and [[iChat]].

[[File:AIM 4.7 screenshot.png|thumb|AIM version 4.7 (released 2001)]]
During its heyday, its main competitors were [[ICQ]] (which AOL acquired in 1998), [[Yahoo! Messenger]] and [[Windows Live Messenger|MSN Messenger]]. AOL particularly had a rivalry or "chat war" with [[PowWow (chat program)|PowWow]] and [[MSN Messenger|Microsoft]], starting in 1999. There were several attempts from Microsoft to simultaneously log into their own and AIM's protocol servers. AOL was unhappy about this and started blocking MSN Messenger from being able to access AIM.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2014/4/21/5635488/msn-messenger-vs-aol-aim-chat-wars|title=Inside Microsoft's '90s chat war with AOL|first=Tom|last=Warren|date=April 21, 2014|work=theverge.com|access-date=January 15, 2017|archive-date=December 22, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161222065503/http://www.theverge.com/2014/4/21/5635488/msn-messenger-vs-aol-aim-chat-wars|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://nplusonemag.com/issue-19/essays/chat-wars/|title=Chat Wars|date=March 25, 2014|work=nplusonemag.com|access-date=January 15, 2017|archive-date=December 22, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161222205923/https://nplusonemag.com/issue-19/essays/chat-wars/|url-status=live}}</ref> This led to efforts by many companies to challenge the [[AOL-Time Warner|AOL and Time Warner merger]] on the grounds of antitrust behaviour, leading to the formation of the [[OpenNet Coalition]].<ref>{{cite news |title=AOL & Partners Announce Formation of OpenNet Coalition |url=https://www.hpcwire.com/1999/02/05/aol-partners-announce-formation-opennet-coalition/ |access-date=13 December 2020 |work=HPCwire |date=5 February 1999 |archive-date=October 17, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211017093512/https://www.hpcwire.com/1999/02/05/aol-partners-announce-formation-opennet-coalition/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[File:AIM 6.8 screenshot.png|thumb|AIM version 6.8 (released 2008)]]
Official mobile versions of AIM appeared as early as 2001 on [[Palm OS]] through the AOL application.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.macworld.com/article/1020672/m105.html|title=Palm introduces new m105 PDA|date=March 6, 2001|website=Macworld|access-date=April 27, 2019|archive-date=April 28, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190428093529/https://www.macworld.com/article/1020672/m105.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Third-party applications allowed it to be used in 2002 for the [[Danger Hiptop|Sidekick]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://bgr.com/2007/10/02/mobile-im-clients-sidekick-helio-ocean-blackberry-iphone-and-more/|title=Mobile IM clients: Sidekick, Helio Ocean, BlackBerry, iPhone, and more|first=Jonathan S.|last=Geller|date=October 2, 2007|work=bgr.com|access-date=January 15, 2017|archive-date=October 14, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171014034509/http://bgr.com/2007/10/02/mobile-im-clients-sidekick-helio-ocean-blackberry-iphone-and-more/|url-status=live}}</ref> A version for [[Symbian OS]] was announced in 2003<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/aol-and-symbian-cosy-up/|title=AOL and Symbian cosy up|first=Ben|last=Charny|website=ZDNet|access-date=April 27, 2019|archive-date=July 26, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200726064328/https://www.zdnet.com/article/aol-and-symbian-cosy-up/|url-status=live}}</ref> as were others for [[BlackBerry]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.engadget.com/2007/04/11/get-your-official-blackberry-im-clients-now-if-you-dare/|title=Get your official BlackBerry IM clients now, if you dare|website=Engadget|date=April 11, 2007 |access-date=April 27, 2019|archive-date=April 27, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190427110326/https://www.engadget.com/2007/04/11/get-your-official-blackberry-im-clients-now-if-you-dare/|url-status=live}}</ref> and [[Windows Mobile]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://download.cnet.com/blog/download-blog/aims-windows-mobile-chat-app-nails-a-bullseye/|title=AIM's Windows Mobile chat app nails a bullseye&nbsp;— The Download Blog&nbsp;— CNET Download.com|work=cnet.com|access-date=January 15, 2017|archive-date=October 14, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171014034640/http://download.cnet.com/blog/download-blog/aims-windows-mobile-chat-app-nails-a-bullseye/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

After 2012, stand-alone official AIM client software included advertisements and was available for [[Microsoft Windows]], [[Windows Mobile]], [[Classic Mac OS]], [[macOS]], [[Android (operating system)|Android]], [[iOS]], and [[BlackBerry OS]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://products.aim.com/products |title=Products AIM |publisher=Products AIM |access-date=December 4, 2010 |archive-date=July 1, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100701222359/http://products.aim.com/products |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Usage decline and product sunset===
Around 2011, AIM started to lose popularity rapidly, partly due to the quick rise of [[Gmail]] and its built-in real-time [[Google Talk|Google Chat]] instant messenger integration in 2011 and because many people migrated to [[SMS]] or [[iMessages]] [[text messaging]] and later, [[Social networking service|social networking]] websites and apps for instant messaging, in particular, [[Facebook Messenger]], which was released as a standalone application the same year. AOL made a partnership to integrate AIM messaging in Google Talk, and had a feature for AIM users to send SMS messages directly from AIM to any number, as well as for SMS users to send an IM to any AIM user.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://smallbusiness.chron.com/send-text-messages-aim-account-43122.html|title=How to Send Text Messages to an AIM Account|access-date=September 7, 2021|archive-date=January 22, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230122152520/https://smallbusiness.chron.com/hiding-name-aol-65276.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

As of June 2011, one source reported AOL Instant Messenger market share had collapsed to 0.73%.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.opswat.com/sites/default/files/OPSWAT-Market-Share-Report-June-2011.pdf|title=OPSWAT Market Share Report June 2011|publisher=opswat.com|access-date=August 11, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130102180321/http://www.opswat.com/sites/default/files/OPSWAT-Market-Share-Report-June-2011.pdf|archive-date=January 2, 2013|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}</ref> However, this number only reflected installed IM applications, and not active users. The engineers responsible for AIM claimed that they were unable to convince AOL management that free was the future.<ref name="mashable"/>

On March 3, 2012, AOL ended employment of AIM's development staff while leaving it active and with help support still provided.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://gizmodo.com/5893031/aim-is-unofficially-dead|title=AIM Is (Unofficially) Dead (Updated)|first=Sam|last=Biddle|work=gizmodo.com|date=March 13, 2012|access-date=January 15, 2017|archive-date=February 15, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170215091647/http://gizmodo.com/5893031/aim-is-unofficially-dead|url-status=live}}</ref> On October 6, 2017, it was announced that the AIM service would be discontinued on December 15;<ref>{{cite web|url=https://help.aol.com/articles/aim-discontinued|title=AIM Sunset|work=AOL Help Article|access-date=October 6, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171006155404/https://help.aol.com/articles/aim-discontinued|archive-date=October 6, 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="retirement" /><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/talkingtech/2017/10/06/rip-aim-aol-instant-messenger-dies-december/739076001/|title=RIP AIM: AOL Instant Messenger dies in December|first=Brett|last=Molina|work=[[USA Today]]|date=October 6, 2017|access-date=October 6, 2017|archive-date=July 25, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200725054235/https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/talkingtech/2017/10/06/rip-aim-aol-instant-messenger-dies-december/739076001/|url-status=live}}</ref> however, a non-profit development team known as Wildman Productions started up a server for older versions of AOL Instant Messenger, known as AIM Phoenix.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2018/06/26/aols-instant-messenger-back-aim-phoenix/736383002/|title=AOL's instant messenger is back: Meet AIM Phoenix|first=Dalvin|last=Brown|work=[[USA Today]]|date=June 26, 2018|access-date=November 12, 2018|archive-date=November 13, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181113075652/https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2018/06/26/aols-instant-messenger-back-aim-phoenix/736383002/|url-status=live}}</ref>