MSN Messenger finally shut down on 31 Oct

IT’S the end of an era. Microsoft’s MSN Messenger is finally being switched off after 15 years. Launched in 1999 it was the way to socialise before Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp. With user numbers in the hundreds of millions by the mid-2000s many stopped using MSN after Microsoft bought Skype in 2012 and was phased out. Plus, as mobile texting came to prominence we found new ways to communicate.

10 things we remember about MSN Messenger

Microsoft started to phase out MSN Messenger (also known as Windows Live Messenger) globally in April 2013 and it will be completely shut down on October 31st. MSN Messenger is only available in mainland China until then. In an e-mail about the changes, Microsoft suggested that users switch to Skype. As an incentive to join Skype, Microsoft is offering a free $2 credit to users that make the switch.

MSN Messenger Is Completely Shutting Down On October 31st