Instant messaging originated in the 1960s with multi-user operating systems that allowed up to 30 users to send messages to each other. In the 1970s and 1980s, peer-to-peer protocols and services like Zephyr enabled basic communication between computer users. In the 1990s, services like AOL and ICQ popularized text-based messaging between individuals by modem. Since the late 1990s, major tech companies like Yahoo, Microsoft, and Facebook have introduced their own messaging platforms, and mobile apps like WhatsApp and Snapchat have driven growth in recent years, with over 3 billion instant messaging accounts worldwide as of 2015.

1. EVOLUTION OF
The concept of instant messaging dates
back to the 1960’s.
Multi-user operating systems, such as
CTSS, which was created at
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
(MIT)'s Computation Center in 1961,
allowed up to 30 users to send
messages to each other.
In the 1970s, programmers worked on
peer-to-peer protocol, allowing educational
institutions and labs to establish simple
communication between users of the same
computer.
The Zephyr Notification Service, also created at MIT
through Project Athena in the 1980s, used Unix to
locate and send messages to users. Some
institutions, including MIT and Carnegie Mellon
University, still use the service.
In 1982, the Commodore 64 included an
Internet service, Quantum Link (also
known as Q-Link), which came to be
known as America Online (AOL) in the
'90s. Q-Link users could pay a monthly
fee to send text-based messages to
others via modem, and the receiver had
the option of responding to or ignoring
the messages.
In 1996, Mirabilis launched ICQ, a
text-based messenger that was the
first to really reach a widespread
market of online users.
In 1997, AOL launched AIM, attracting
a new generation of younger users. By
2005, AIM was the top player in the
instant messaging space, with
approximately 53 million users.
In 1998, Yahoo launched Yahoo
Messenger.
In 1999, Microsoft joined the industry by
releasing MSN Messenger, providing
more than 40 million users of its
Hotmail service with an alternative
communication method.
Brosix was founded in 2006 as an
easy-to-use, secure communication
tool for home and enterprises. It has
grown into one of the most popular
business instant messaging
applications.
Facebook Chat was released in 2008,
giving users the ability to
communicate with friends or groups
of friends.
In 2009, Whatsapp made its way to the
public, making it simple for users to
send texts, video, audio, and pictures.
2011 saw WeChat and Snapchat come
to life, which signified a new form of
messaging.
Prediction: 2018 will bring more of the same to the instant messaging industry,
with a growing number of companies turning to enterprise applications to
guarantee a safe and secure communication experience.
Also, mobile instant messaging is primed for robust growth, as more people are
seeking ways to communicate securely from their smartphone or tablet.
As of 2015 – not including mobile
messaging – there were
approximately 3.2 billion instant
messaging accounts worldwide. This
number is expected to grow at an
annual rate of four percent through
2019.
Despite its early success, AIM closed
its doors for good on December 15,
2017.
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INSTANT MESSAGING
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