Yahoo Messenger shutting down next month

Two decades  after its introduction, Yahoo Messenger — one of the Internet's very first instant meesaging services — is set to be discontinued in July, Yahoo! said in a message posted on its help forums.

In its message, Yahoo! said the chat service will no longer be supported after July 17, 2018.

"We know we have many loyal fans who have used Yahoo Messenger since its beginning as one of the first chat apps of its kind," read the message.

"As the communications landscape continues to change over, we're focusing on building and introducing new, exciting communications tools that better fit consumer needs," it added.

Hundreds of millions of people using Yahoo Messenger were advised to download their chat history, saying they have the next six month to do so.

For those who have the Yahoo Messenger App on their phones, Yahoo! says: "We recommend that you delete the app after you've downloaded your chat history and anything else you’d like to save."

The help page clarified that shutting down Yahoo Messenger has no impact on a Yahoo ID, saying it can still be used for other Yahoo! products. — MDM, GMA News