The secure messenger service Hoccer, developed in Germany, has ceased operation. The apps for Android and iOS are therefore without function. The homepage is switched off, only a goodbye message can be seen. The operator cites the personnel and financial consequences of the coronavirus pandemic, which did not allow the service to continue operating. Among other things, sponsors have dropped out.
Anonymous and secure
Hoccer was launched in 2009 as one of the many me-too apps that vied for users in the waters of the successful Whatsapp. Initially intended for data exchange between two smartphones, Hoccer was later provided with a separate messenger called Hoccer XO and the two applications were finally combined.
Hoccer should be an anonymous and secure alternative to other messengers. Like later Threema, the Messenger was not bound to the phone number. The connections and chats were encrypted. The developers were also committed to data economy. But Hoccer couldn’t be looked under the hood: the app is not open source.
Ströer gets in
In 2014, the media giant Ströer invested around 50 million euros in a majority stake in Hoccer. In 2015, Hoccer won the test in a messenger comparison by Stiftung Warentest. But the messenger never really wanted to take off. When most of the contacts are with one of the market leaders and cannot be moved to change, the enthusiasm for an alternative app quickly wanes.
For two years now, Hoccer has only been using half the power anyway. The last update of the Android app came in September 2018, the iOS app was last updated in December 2017. For some days now, users have been complaining about functional failures. Now you know why: Hoccer is history.
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