Editing AIM (software) (section)

===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>