ICQ facts for kids
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| Original author(s) | Mirabilis |
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| Developer(s) |
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| Initial release | November 15, 1996 |
| Stable release |
10.0.46867 (May 27, 2022)
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| Written in | |
| Platform |
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| Available in |
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| Type | Instant messaging |
| License | Proprietary |
ICQ New is a special app that lets you send instant messages and make calls over the internet. The name ICQ sounds like "I Seek You," which is what you do when you look for friends online! It was first made in Israel in 1996 by a company called Mirabilis. Later, big companies like AOL and VK bought it.
The app first came out in November 1996, and you could download it for free. It became popular because people told their friends about it, like a secret club! Before ICQ, people chatted online, but ICQ was one of the first apps just for instant messages. It let you have your own account and chat one-on-one. This idea helped shape many chat apps and social media you use today. ICQ was the first really popular instant messaging app.
In 2001, over 100 million people had ICQ accounts! By 2010, about 42 million people used it every day. In 2020, the company that owns ICQ launched a new version called "ICQ New." This updated app came out on April 6, 2020. In 2022, about 11 million people used ICQ each month. In January 2021, many people in Hong Kong started using ICQ more. This happened after another popular app changed its privacy rules.
Contents
Cool Features of ICQ New
Private Chats
You can have private conversations with just one other person. Your chats are saved in the cloud, so you can see them on any device. You can even delete a message you sent, and it will disappear for both you and your friend. A note will show that a message was deleted.
Chat with Yourself
This is a special chat where you can send important messages to yourself. You can also send unlimited photos and videos. It's like having your own free cloud storage space!
Group Chats
These chats can have up to 25,000 people at once. Anyone can create a group. You can hide your phone number from others in the group. There are cool tools like polls, and you can see who has read your messages. You can also turn off notifications from certain people in the group.
Channels
Channels are like online blogs. Authors can share text messages and media files. When a new post is shared, subscribers get a notification. The person running the channel can stay anonymous if they want.
Bots
A special tool called an API-bot lets anyone create a "bot." A bot is a small program that does specific tasks and talks to users. Bots can be used for fun or for helpful services.
Stickers and Masks
Stickers are small pictures that show emotions. You can use them to make your chats more fun. There's a library of stickers, or you can upload your own. The app can even suggest stickers for you! Masks are images that go over your face during video calls or in photos. They add a fun touch to your calls and pictures.
Nicknames
A nickname is a name you make up for yourself. You can use it instead of your phone number when people search for you. This way, you can share your contact info without giving out your phone number.
Smart Answers
These are short phrases that pop up above your message box. ICQ New looks at your conversation and suggests quick replies. This helps you answer messages faster.
Audio Messages and Transcriptions
You can send audio messages to your friends. If someone can't listen to the audio, ICQ New can turn it into text for them. Just tap a button, and you'll see the message written out!
Voice and Video Calls
Besides texting, you can call your friends. You can also have audio or video calls with up to five people. During video calls, you can use those fun AR-masks!
UIN: Your ICQ Number
Every ICQ user has a special number called a UIN, or User Identification Number. These numbers are given out in order, starting from 10,000. You get a UIN when you first sign up for ICQ. Since ICQ6, you can also log in using the email address you linked to your UIN.
Unlike some other chat apps, your UIN is your main, permanent ID on ICQ. You can search for other users using their email or other public details. You can also change your screen name and email without needing to sign up again. If someone tries to steal or sell UINs, ICQ stores old email addresses linked to them. This helps you get your UIN back if it's stolen, as long as you had a valid email linked to it after 1999.
History of ICQ
The company that started ICQ, Mirabilis, was created in June 1996. Five developers from Israel, including Yair Goldfinger and Arik Vardi, founded it. ICQ was one of the first text-based messaging apps to become very popular.
Mirabilis gave away the ICQ technology for free. Its success led AOL to buy Mirabilis on June 8, 1998, for a lot of money. In 2002, AOL even got a patent for the technology.
In April 2010, AOL sold ICQ to Digital Sky Technologies for $187.5 million. Even though other apps became more popular in many countries, ICQ remained very popular in Russian-speaking countries. It was a big part of online culture there.
In September 2010, Digital Sky Technologies changed its name to Mail.Ru Group. Since then, Mail.ru has worked to make ICQ a great mobile messaging app. By 2013, about half of ICQ users were on mobile. In 2014, the number of users started growing again for the first time in years. In March 2016, the program's code was made open for others to see and use.
How ICQ Developed Over Time
- ICQ 99a/b: These were the first versions widely available to everyone.
- ICQ 2000: This version added features like "Notes" and "Reminders."
- ICQ 2001: Your contact list was saved online, so it would be the same on all your computers.
- ICQ 2002: This was the last version of ICQ that did not show any advertisements.
- ICQ Pro 2003b: This version started using a newer communication method called ICQ protocol version 10.
- ICQ 4 and ICQ 5: These were updates to a lighter version called ICQ Lite. They added "Xtraz," which had games and features for younger users.
- ICQ 5: This version let you change the look of the app with "skins." Many users made their own skins.
- ICQ 6: Released in 2007, this was a big update with a new design. It let you send messages right from your contact list. Older versions of ICQ stopped working, so users had to upgrade.
- ICQ 7.0: Released in 2010, this version connected with Facebook and other websites. You could also set custom personal statuses.
- ICQ 8: Released in 2012, this version focused on free video calls, messages, and social network support.
- ICQ 10.0: Released in 2016, this is the most recent major update. The newest build came out in May 2022.
Other Apps That Work with ICQ
ICQ uses a special way to communicate that is owned by AOL. Using other apps with ICQ is against their rules. However, many other chat programs have found ways to work with ICQ. Some of these include:
- Adium: For macOS, it supports ICQ and many other chat services.
- Ayttm: Supports ICQ, Yahoo!, AIM, MSN, and more.
- BitlBee: This lets you use ICQ and other services through IRC.
- Centericq: A text-based chat program that supports ICQ and others.
- climm: Another text-based chat program.
- Jimm: An ICQ app for older Java mobile phones.
- Kopete: For Unix-like systems, it supports many chat services including ICQ.
- Miranda NG: For Windows, it supports ICQ and many other services.
- Pidgin: A very popular chat program that works with ICQ and many others.
- QIP: Another program that supports ICQ.
- Trillian: Supports ICQ, IRC, Google Talk, and more.
AOL also supported these apps:
- AOL Instant Messenger (this app was stopped in 2017)
- Messages/iChat: For macOS, it could use your ICQ UIN.
See also
- Comparison of instant messaging clients
- Comparison of instant messaging protocols
- LAN messenger
- Online chat
- Windows Live Messenger
- Tencent QQ
