Apps that were all the rage in the past may end up being forgotten today. With the increasing advancement of technology and the resources it offers, things that were absolutely new not long ago may be nothing more than nostalgic memories for those who remember them fondly.
In order to travel through the nostalgia present in the hearts of mobile app users, we have put together this article with the nine best old apps! Have you ever used any of them in the past? Come find out with us!
MSN Messenger
Among the apps that were all the rage in the past, MSN Messenger marked a generation by revolutionizing online communication. Launched in 1999, it offered instant messaging, voice and video calls, and real-time games. It stood out as a fast alternative to email, winning over millions of users. With customizable features and dynamic interactions, it became a global icon.
However, the rise of platforms like Facebook and WhatsApp led to the decline of MSN Messenger. Unable to compete with new trends, it was officially discontinued in 2013, leaving its users with a fondness for it. Even so, it remains a nostalgic symbol among apps that were popular in the past, reminding us of the impact it had in its time.
Vine
Another app on the list, Vine shined by ushering in an era of short, creative videos. Launched in 2013, the app quickly won over teens, offering an agile platform for creating and sharing content up to six seconds long. This innovative approach transformed digital communication, opening up space for humor, creativity and even cultural trends that are now part of everyday online life.
Despite its initial impact, Vine was discontinued in 2017 amid growing competition from platforms like Instagram and TikTok, which expanded and improved the concept. Even though it couldn’t resist the advances in technology, the app continues to be remembered as one of the apps that were all the rage in the past, celebrating its influence in popularizing the quick-form video format that dominates social media today.
Pou
Pou has won over a legion of fans since its launch in 2012, proving to be one of the most iconic mobile games. Inspired by classic Tamagotchis, the app allowed users to care for a virtual pet, offering food, fun, and customization with clothes and accessories. The simple and engaging concept quickly turned it into a global phenomenon, accumulating more than 500 million downloads on the Google Play Store.
Despite its huge success, Pou has failed to maintain the same appeal over the years, especially in the face of the rise of new games and apps. Eventually, the game was removed from the Google Play Store on November 30, 2019, according to information from the AppBrain website. Still, Pou remains in the memory of many as one of the apps that were a hit in the past, marking an era of nostalgia for those who spent hours caring for their virtual pet.
Snapchat
Snapchat, launched in September 2011 by Snap Inc., was one of the most popular apps in the past and brought a new way of interacting on social networks. With the idea of sending photos and videos that disappeared after being viewed, the app won over many young people by encouraging more spontaneous and authentic communication.
Features like “Best Friends” and “Stories,” which allowed users to share content for 24 hours, helped to cement its popularity. However, despite its initial success, Snapchat eventually lost ground to other platforms, such as Instagram, which replicated its most popular features.
Instagram’s introduction of Stories has eclipsed Snapchat, which still has a loyal user base but is no longer the leader in the social media market. Despite its decline, Snapchat remains one of the apps that was once popular, remembered for its innovative way of sharing fleeting moments.
Secret
Secret, launched in 2014 by David Byttow and Chrys Bader-Wechseler, was one of the apps that was popular in the past for offering a platform for sharing anonymous messages. With the idea of allowing users to share secrets privately with friends or publicly, the app quickly gained a base of users who were looking for a place to vent without worrying about their identity.
Features such as likes and the option to share secrets on social networks such as Facebook and Twitter made it even more popular. However, despite its initial success, Secret was discontinued in 2015, mainly due to issues related to toxic behavior from some users and the difficulty of generating sustainable monetization.
Unlike other anonymous apps like Whisper and Yik Yak, Secret had a stronger focus on close friendships, which provided a more intimate type of connection. However, its loss of relevance and the challenges of maintaining a healthy platform led to its demise, making it a nostalgic memory among the apps that were once popular.
Flappy Bird
In 2014, Flappy Bird, one of the apps that was a hit in the past, made history by becoming the most popular game on the App Store and Google Play Store. Created by Dong Nguyen, the game stood out for its simple mechanics and its difficulty, which made it addictive. Initially released to be played during short breaks, Flappy Bird quickly gained a global player base.
It ended up generating around $143T$50,000 per day in ad revenue. However, after its huge success, Nguyen decided to pull the game, much to everyone's surprise. The reason for its discontinuation was concerns about the addictive nature of the game and the negative impact it was having on users' lives.
By becoming a phenomenon of unexpected proportions, Flappy Bird surpassed its initial objective and became a problem for its creator, becoming a classic example of apps that were a hit in the past, whose popularity could not sustain its continuity.
Skype
Skype, once one of the most popular apps in the past, dominated online communications, being the go-to platform for voice and video calls. Launched in 2003, it quickly became popular due to its ability to connect people around the world without high costs, and is one of the most downloaded apps in the world.
Its integration with the Windows ecosystem and its easy-to-use interface have made it essential for users and businesses that need to communicate in a practical and effective way. However, over the years, Skype has lost ground to more agile and innovative competitors, such as WhatsApp and Telegram.
The lack of adequate features and updates, coupled with the increasingly strong integration of these new apps with other platforms, has caused Skype to be overtaken. Although it still exists, its relevance has diminished significantly, being overshadowed by new communication services that have delivered more complete solutions adapted to the needs of modern users.
Foursquare
Foursquare is one of the apps that were all the rage in the past, having been launched in 2009 and becoming a true phenomenon in the early 2010s. It allowed users to share their location through geolocation, offering tips and reviews of places such as restaurants, bars and tourist attractions.
With an attractive interface and a collaborative knowledge model, the app won over millions of users who became addicted to exploring new places and earning badges for their visits. Over the years, Foursquare began to lose ground to new social networking and mapping apps.
In 2014, those responsible for the platform decided to restructure the service and launch Swarm, a new version focused on check-ins and social interaction. Although Foursquare changed its name and purpose, the idea of location sharing was absorbed by other apps, causing the original to be left aside and losing its relevance in the current digital landscape.
Google Hangouts
Google Hangouts, one of the apps that was all the rage in the past, was launched in 2013 and quickly became a popular platform for communication. It allowed video calls, text and voice chats, as well as sending SMS, and integrated with other Google services, such as Gmail and Google+.
Hangouts was originally intended to be a centralized messaging hub, providing a seamless experience for both casual conversations and professional meetings. However, with the advancement of other communication tools and the growing popularity of Google Meet, Hangouts was gradually discontinued in 2021.
Its integration with Google+ and other services was not enough to keep it relevant against competitors such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams. Google decided to focus its efforts on Meet, which offered features more geared towards the corporate market and professional use, leading to the end of the Hangouts cycle.
Conclusion
Apps that were all the rage in the past had their moment of glory, but unfortunately they are no longer available in any of the major mobile app stores. Have you used any of the apps mentioned in this list? Do you miss them? Share them with us in the comments! Also check out our article on how to clear Safari cache and the video we have separated below! We guarantee that you will be interested!
Questions that might interest you
Are there any old applications that influenced the development of current platforms?
Yes! Like Vine with TikTok or Instagram's reels update.
What caused apps like Vine or MySpace to be discontinued?
Usually the lack of advertisers and the fact that they have been swallowed up by their competitors
