Windows Live Messenger (formerly
MSN Messenger) is a
discontinued instant messaging client developed by
Microsoft for
Windows,
Xbox 360,
BlackBerry OS,
iOS,
Java ME,
S60 on
Symbian OS 9.x, and
Zune HD. It connected to the
Microsoft Messenger service while also having compatibility with
Yahoo! Messenger and
Facebook Messenger. The client was first released as MSN Messenger on July 22, 1999, and was marketed under the
MSN branding until 2005 when it was rebranded under
Windows Live and has since been officially known by its present name, although its previous name was still used colloquially by most of its users. In June 2009, Microsoft reported the service attracted over 330 million active users each month, placing Messenger among the most widely used instant messaging clients in the world.