[amyjess]

> We've seen something like this before, when AIM allowed MSN Messenger to interoperate. I know this is a little different, but that was still how AIM lost.

Lost? AIM was the dominant IM platform in the US until the late 00s/early 10s when mobile and cloud-based services took over. First SMS/MMS and then platforms like Facebook Messenger, Google Hangouts, and Skype.

The only place MSN was dominant was third-world countries like Brazil.

[MAGZine]

MSN was way more popular than AIM in parts of Canada (maybe all, I can't speak nationally).

Probably, AIM usage correlated with AOL's marketing strategy, meaning it prevailed in the US, though I'm not even sure about europe.

Anyhow, your assertion that MSN was only dominant in 3rd world countries is unfounded.

[realusername]

Don't know about other countries, on my case in France, it was MSN-only, I've never seen anyone with a AIM account ever. I had no idea it used to be popular in the US, I've actually learned that now.

[scottmcf]

I'd say MSN had the edge over AIM in Scotland too, although the populations overlapped heavily (i.e. most people I talked with had both).

[Laaw]

SMS/MMS lost? Tell that to my friends/family/telcos.

[amyjess]

No, I said that AIM was first overtaken by SMS/MMS and then by Facebook/Google/Skype. I didn't say that SMS/MMS died out, just that it was joined by the others.

[venning]

Fair point. I got a little word-happy.