Tencent QQ facts for kids
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| Developer(s) | Shenzhen Tencent Computer System Co., Ltd. |
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| Initial release | February 10, 1999 |
| Operating system | Cross-platform |
| Available in | Simplified Chinese |
| Type | Instant messaging |
| License | Proprietary |
Tencent QQ, often just called QQ, is a very popular app from China. It's like a big online meeting place and service. A company called Tencent made it.
QQ lets you send instant messages to friends and family. But it's more than just chat! You can also play online games, listen to music, and even go shopping. It also has microblogging (like short online posts), movies, and ways to do group and voice calls. In March 2023, about 597 million people used QQ every month.
The Story of QQ
QQ first came out in China in February 1999. Back then, it had a different name: OICQ. This name was a nod to another early chat service called ICQ.
Why the Name Changed
The company that owned ICQ, called AOL, thought OICQ was too similar to their name. They threatened to sue Tencent. So, Tencent changed the name to QQ. The "Q" and "QQ" were meant to sound cute and friendly.
What QQ Could Do
QQ took some ideas from ICQ. It also added cool new things. You could change how the app looked with different "skins." You could also use pictures of people and fun little pictures called "emoticons."
At first, QQ was mainly for quick messages. Later, it added many more features. These included chat rooms where many people could talk together. It also got games and personal avatars. Avatars are like your own digital character. You could even store files online and find new friends.
Where QQ Works
The main QQ app works on computers using Microsoft Windows. There was also a test version for Apple computers, specifically Mac OS X. For a while, you could even use QQ in your web browser. These were called WebQQ and WebQQ Mini. However, WebQQ Mini is no longer available. In 2008, Tencent also made an official QQ app for Linux computers. But this version couldn't do voice calls like the Windows one.
See also
In Spanish: QQ para niños
