The friends I've lost due to tech (deprecation)
As I've been going through Swedish Death Cleaning, I've been going through my Contacts list. My Contacts list - synched to iPhone and later iCloud - along with my photos stored on hyper-scalers are the only that has survived fully intact since 2009 I think.
I've actually stopped contacting some of my friends that were particularly tied to certain instant messaging (IM) services, or I never got around to reaching out to them on Facebook. I used to have 500 frequent contacts, which was the maximum allowed number of contacts on MSN Messenger. That was "easy" when you are using MSN Messenger on a full size keyboard. It's harder to do multiple chats on a touchscreen iPhone. I suppose I can place some blame on the iPhone for losing touch with some friends, but perhaps the iPhone also helped increase the quality of friends, as opposed to quantity.
Below are the list of services I used to use.
| Service | Deprecation / Shutdown Date |
|---|---|
| MSN Messenger | Oct 2024 |
| AIM | Dec 2017 |
| Yahoo Messenger | Jul 2018 |
| ICQ | Jun 2024 |
| Skype (Consumer) | May 2025 |
There was an app called Trillian.cc that aggregated MSN, AIM, Yahoo and ICQ back in the day, but that has since transformed into an app for some other service. I stopped using Trillian as I whittled down the list of IM services I use.
Ironically, I deprecated my use of IM services in almost reverse order from the table above. In order of deprecation for me was ICQ, Yahoo Messenger, AIM and MSN Messenger. I clung onto Skype as that was supposed to replace MSN Messenger and I worked at a place where that was the preferred chat client; since it was free.
Skype is now replaced by Teams, which I think is a superior app and service in many ways for a PC, but outside of the workplace most of my friends use their mobile device. Mobile devices mean FaceTime and WeChat instead, with the occasional WhatsApp, mostly for those on Android.
Product | Description | Free Plan - Minutes | Free Plan - Recipients |
Microsoft Teams | A business-focused communication platform designed by Microsoft that offers video conferencing, messaging, file sharing, and app integrations. | Unlimited | Up to 100 participants |
Google Meet | A versatile and user-friendly video conferencing platform by Google that integrates seamlessly with other Google Workspace apps like Gmail and Calendar. | 60 minutes per meeting | Up to 100 participants |
Zoom | A widely used video conferencing platform known for its ease of use and robust features like screen sharing, meeting recording, and virtual backgrounds. | 40 minutes per meeting | Up to 100 participants |
Webex | A feature-rich video conferencing tool by Cisco offering solutions for both personal and professional use, including whiteboarding and polling tools. | 40 minutes per meeting | Up to 100 participants |
Discord | Originally a chat platform for gamers, Discord now offers video conferencing and messaging with unique features like server-based communities. | Unlimited | Up to 25 participants |
Slack | A team collaboration tool focused on messaging and informal communication, with features like Huddles for spontaneous audio and video calls. | Unlimited (for Huddles) | 2 participants (on free plan) |
Signal | A privacy-focused messaging app known for its end-to-end encryption and simple, secure video conferencing features. | Unlimited | Up to 50 participants |