iWorld
Yahoo to shut messenger app after 20 years
MUMBAI: Yahoo Messenger, the messaging app, is finally shutting down for good.The app, which was acquired by Verizon in 2017, is shutting down on 17 July. The company didn’t give any explanation for shutting its messenger. Yahoo Messenger users will now be directed to invite-based Yahoo Squirrel service. Testing of Yahoo Squirrel was done last month and it will soon be available for users.
With the increase in number of messaging apps like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Snapchat continually capturing the market, it was probably hard to compete with the existing product.
Yahoo Messenger was one of the first instant messaging apps created, but it struggled to keep up with modern apps like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and Snapchat. However, the app found a surprising niche- within oil trading companies. Older versions of Yahoo Messenger shut down in 2016, and oil traders voiced their concern about the app’s demise at the time.
“You have no idea how much I’ll miss Yahoo Messenger,” one oil trader from Singapore told Reuters in 2016. “I built up hundreds of contacts on it over more than a decade. I have Yahoo friends I have never met, but with whom I spent many hours bantering and joking. It also made me a lot of money. Now that it’s gone, I could cry, as per a blog post.”
For the users who are still using Yahoo mail, their Yahoo ID will keep working for other Yahoo services such as Yahoo Mail.
iWorld
JioHotstar enters micro-drama space with 100 shows under Tadka banner
Short-form push targets 300M users as content meets commerce in new format
MUMBAI: JioStar has made a bold play in India’s fast-growing micro-drama space, rolling out over 100 short-form shows under its new Tadka banner on JioHotstar, timed with the massive viewership surge of the Indian Premier League 2026.
The scale of the launch signals clear intent. Rather than testing the waters, the company has dived in headfirst, releasing a wide slate of content on day one. Each show is designed for quick consumption, with episodes running 60 to 90 seconds in a vertical format tailored for mobile-first audiences.
The move comes as India’s micro-drama market, currently valued at around $300 million, is projected to grow tenfold to over $3 billion by 2030. Globally, the format has already proven its mettle, with China’s micro-drama sector recording explosive growth in recent years.
What sets this rollout apart is its built-in monetisation strategy. The shows are free to watch and ad-supported, with brand integrations woven directly into storylines from the outset. It reflects a broader shift where content and commerce are increasingly intertwined, rather than operating in silos.
The timing is equally strategic. With more than 300 million users already tuning in for IPL action, JioHotstar is effectively turning cricket’s biggest stage into a discovery engine for its new format.
The company is not entering an empty arena. Early movers like Kuku TV, MX Player and platforms backed by Zee Entertainment Enterprises have already laid the groundwork, building audiences and validating demand for snackable storytelling.
Now, with scale, distribution and advertiser interest aligning, the big players are stepping in. For JioStar, Tadka may well serve as a proving ground for the next evolution of digital entertainment, where every minute counts and every second sells.
If the bet pays off, India’s next big content wave might just arrive in under 90 seconds.
