The name Google Talk is probably unknown to most readers, certainly younger ones, and now Big G’s age-old instant messaging service is ready to disappear forever: the date is already set.
Officially launched in 2005, Google Talk – often abbreviated as GTalk – was the first instant messaging service of the Mountain View giant, only to be merged into Google Hangouts in 2013. Since the latter to has long since disappeared from circulation.
One might think that the same goes for Talk, which is somehow still around, but it will only be for a few more days. As had already been announced in 2017, in fact, Google Talk will be permanently withdrawn on June 16, 2022, and will stop working with third-party apps. Here is the message you read on the dedicated support page:
“Google Talk is in the process of being retired. On June 16, 2022, support for third-party apps, including Pidgin and Gajim, will end, as announced in 2017″.
For those who still use this archaic service, Google recommends switching to Google Chat (which you can download from the Google Play Store using the badge at the end of the article), so as to also enjoy the improvements of the latter, such as Chat Spaces, which “Makes it easier for you to plan together with other users, share content, collaborate on files and assign tasks.”
Anyone who attempts to log into Google Talk starting June 16, 2022, will find nothing but an error message. Google Chat is also accessible via a web client and can be added to your Gmail inbox. Newbies to this service may find the official introductory guide useful.
If you like our news and you want to be the first to get notifications of the latest news, then follow us on Twitter and Facebook page and join our Telegram channel. Also, you can follow us on Google News for regular updates.