AOL seems to be putting aside all worries, so that it can revamp its instant-messaging software, AIM. The revamping would include giving a refreshing new look to AIM, along with a few new features, hoping that it would be able to stanch an ongoing exodus of users. The target is on those users who have turned to texting and other online messaging services.
The revamp process seems to be finally shadowed over AIM, as in several years, this is the service’s biggest revamp. However, the main aim behind revamping it, is that AOL is trying too hard to revitalize its business, which has hit a new low this year in the Wall Street.
AOL has been a web pioneer back in the 90’s, but for the last few years, its progress has been stalled and in fact it has only been decreasing. The struggles saw at one end, its dial-up Internet service declining, while on the other hand its online content and advertising business isn’t generating enough revenue yet to make up for it.
But that has been a problem of the past, the future might hold good for the instant-messaging software, a preview of which was unveiled by AOL on Wednesday. The preview even noted that the new features would even have the ability to view Web-based photos and videos within a chat window. In comparison, earlier users were able to only see a specific link, which they would have to click to open a new browser window containing the image or video.
Additionally, AIM would even sync all the messages you send and receive across various devices you use to access the service, helping to prevent missed messages.
One would not miss out on its iconic “Buddy List”, which has given way to a list of AIM friends ordered by how recently you’ve chatted with them.
Jason Shellen, AOL’s head of AIM products, said in an interview that many people think of AIM as “instant pestering.” He even said the new software is “less instant, more message.”
Joined AOL in 2010, Shellen, the timing of his inclusion has co-incidentally been in link with the time AOL bought the company behind online social software Brizzly.
Briefing about AIM, it was originally released in 1997 and came to be known to the world as an instant-messaging traffic, which is falling precipitously. Nowadays, socially, people are hooked to a number of social networking sites including Facebook and Twitter, which makes use of the built-in chat features on sites such as Facebook and Google Inc’s Gmail and send an ever-growing number of text messages.
This has been to AIM’s disadvantage, which the company is now trying to turn to its benefits. It is allowing users to chat over its service, which is now an inter-chat service provider as AIM has allowed users to chat with friends on a number of other instant-messaging services, including Facebook’s and Google’s. It is to be awaited to see if it really helps a turnaround.
comScore Inc noted that the usage of instant-messaging services in the US has fell 31 per cent to 36.8 million visitors in October, as compared to the stats a year ago
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