Two months after Feb 2008 article, in April 2008, Facebook released [1] Facebook Chat, and gradually captured the 'chat with people you know in real life' useca

Two months after Feb 2008 article, in April 2008, Facebook released [1] Facebook Chat, and gradually captured the 'chat with people you know in real life' usecase. In April 2008, we're three months before the launch of the iOS appstore, more than a year before iOS push notifications, and more than two years before Android push notifications -- and three years before iMessage. For instant messaging, most people are still using 'legacy' networks like AIM, MSN/WLM, Yahoo Messenger; tech early adopters may be using Google Talk inside Gmail, which stopped being invite-only just a year prior. People with phones are using SMS, and smartphones are not too common. With Chat, Facebook became much more than a place to post text or pictures on one's page: it became one of the largest Instant Messaging networks overnight. They stayed relevant during the rise of mobile apps as other players faltered, then years later, they turned to acquisitions to buy a few networks that presented a competitive threat. [1] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13465483 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13465483