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Subscription Model
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AOL for Windows Launched
Marketed as an Internet Service Provider (ISP) for people unfamiliar with computers, America Online followed up its 1991 launch of America Online for DOS with America Online for Windows. The launch coincided with market growth in pay-bsed online services. -
Access to Entirety of the Internet
Prior to 1995, America Online Subscribers only had acces to AOL's online content, and were walled off from the rest of the Internet. -
Hourly Rate Changed to Monthly Subscription
Until October 1996, AOL charged subscribers for usage by the hour. Afterwards, they began charging $19.95/month for dial-up internet service. -
America Online Users Grow to 10 Million
Despite an initial setback due to users flooding dial-in servers, AOL users grew in just 3 years. -
AOL & Time Warner Announce Plans to Merge
In January 2000, America Online and Time Warner announce plans to merge. AOL shareholders would receive 55% of the new company. It was the largest merger in American business history. -
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AOL Time Warner
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AOL Time Warner Deal Closed
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AOL Offers Personalised Greetings, Security Software Packages
In the mid 2000's, AOL struggled with subscriptions and began offering security software packages, as well as personalised greetings as part of their subscription package -
Google Purchases Shares in AOL
Google purchased a 5% share of AOL for $1 billion -
AOL Offers Free Email and Software to Non-Subscribers
Time Warner AOL hoped to win back former subscribers that had defected to free email providers (HotMail, GMail & Yahoo Mail) and reduce costs associated with their subscription model. -
AOL Announces Plan to Raise Dial-Up Subscription to $25.90/month
AOL raises the price of their premium dial-up subscription package to $29.50/month, though there is a basic dial-up package priced at $9.95/month. -
New Focus and Mass Lay-Offs
Late 2007 saw AOL shift focus to advertising, and moves from Virginia to New York City that resulted in nearly %40 of AOL employees being laid off. -
AOL Subscriptions Decrease
By November 2007, AOL subscriptions had decreased from its peak number of 34 million to 10 million -
Time Warner Splits Up AOL Business Areas
In February of 2008, Time Warner announced a plan to split up AOL’s internet service and advertising businesses, leaving open the possibility of selling the internet service business down the line. For much of 2008, AOL shed a number of services in order to focus more on advertising. -
AOL Purchases Bebo
AOL purchases social networking site Bebo for $850 million, and spent the rest of the year shedding extraneous services to cut costs. -
Tim Armstrong Named Chairman and CEO of AOL
Formerly of Google, Tim Armstrong named Chairman and CEO -
Time Warner Spins Off AOL
In May 2009, Time Warner announced it was spinning off AOL at the end of the fiscal year, when Google’s shares expired. The failed merger with AOL was considered one of the worst in business history. -
AOL Acquires Patch Media
In June 2009, AOL acquired Patch Media, intended to as news and information media for individual towns and communities. -
AOL Sells Bebo at a Loss
AOL sold Bebo, the social networking site, in June 2010 for a significant loss on investment. -
AOL Acquires TechCrunch
AOL also acquired TechCrunch in September 2010 as part of a new strategy of increasing quality online content. -
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Huffington Era
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Armstrong Makes Significant Layoffs
A month following the Huffington Post purchase, CEO Tim Armstrong announced cuts of almost 1000 jobs at AOL. He also mentioned plans to move AOL staff to have 70% in editorial or other content functions. -
AOL Purchases the Huffington Post
On February 7, 2011, AOL purchased the Huffington Post for $315 million. Arianna Huffington, founder of the Huffington Post was named president and editor-in-chief of all Huffington Post and AOL content.
