Yahoo Messenger Desktop App Updated For Windows And Mac

Instant messaging is one of those things that seems to not be going out of fashion any time soon, with newer services and formats being announced every other day. So it is of little surprise that Yahoo has launched an upgraded version of its messenger for the desktop.

In a Tumblr blog post Wednesday, Austin Shoemaker, senior director for product management at Yahoo, announced the launch, saying: “Our new platform provides you with a fast and easy way to send (and unsend) not only messages, but also photos and animated GIFs. Today, we’re delighted to announce that you can enjoy all of these features you’ve grown to know and love in our brand-new Yahoo Messenger desktop app for Windows and Mac.”

The “unsend” button was present in the mobile app version of Yahoo Messenger since its launch in December 2015 but has been featured on the desktop only with Wednesday’s release. Desktop notifications from the messenger and the availability of a plethora of GIFs have been touted as other cool features.

While there are other popular messaging services around, many with their own unique benefits — and drawbacks — that users can choose from now, Yahoo has been in the game for about two decades, and it doesn’t look like it is quitting. This is the first big development from the technology company since it announced its sale to Verizon for $4.8 billion.

Older versions of the Yahoo Messenger app for desktops will stop functioning from Aug. 5.

The company also started advertising on Tumblr, its blogging service, starting Thursday. It plans to share some of that revenue with Tumblr users at some unspecified time in the future.