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2002 - 2012
iChat
“Your buddy is available.”
- Birth year
- 2002
- Shutdown year
- 2012
- Lifespan
- 10 years
- Peak era
- 2003-2009
- Company
- Apple
- Category
- Messaging
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What Was It?
iChat was the Mac's chat app, with speech-bubble conversations and a buddy list that connected to AIM, so Mac users could talk to friends on Windows. It arrived with Mac OS X Jaguar in 2002.
The following year, as iChat AV, it added audio and video calling, and Apple's matching iSight webcam made video chat feel like the future. Later versions added screen sharing and video backdrops, and Bonjour let people on the same network find each other without an account.
In OS X Mountain Lion in 2012, iChat was replaced by Messages for chat and FaceTime for video.
Things You Probably Forgot
- Conversations in speech bubbles
- Chatting with AIM friends from a Mac
- Video calls through an iSight camera
- Funny video backdrops behind your face
The Story
- 2002 iChat launched with Mac OS X 10.2 Jaguar.
- 2003 iChat AV added audio and video chat.
- 2012 Messages and FaceTime replaced iChat in OS X Mountain Lion.
How It Died
Apple replaced iChat with Messages and FaceTime in OS X Mountain Lion in 2012.
What Replaced It?
Memories
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