(CNN) - The parent company of AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) announced Friday the product will shut down on Dec. 15 after more than 20 years.
The messenger launched in 1997, giving users an era-defining communications platform when web access required a desktop computer and a cumbersome dial-up connection.
The service made its mark in pop culture with cameos in You've got Mail and Sex and the City.
However, it failed to evolve with consumer needs, fading into the background as new messaging apps, social media networks and mobile products took center stage. Notable among these innovations was the Apple iPhone.
AIM's shutdown was announced on Twitter and Tumblr.
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