AppleInsider Staff
Facebook on Monday announced it will be drawing down support for messages sent through its flagship mobile app, meaning users around the world will be forced to download the standalone Messenger app if they want to take their chats on the road.
After seeing success in a Messenger-only pilot program in Europe, Facebook will in the coming days remove chat capabilities from its main app and require iOS and Android device users to rely on the standalone messaging software for such services, reports TechCrunch.
In the next few days, we're continuing to notify more people that if they want to send and receive Facebook messages, they'll need to download the Messenger app. As we've said, our goal is to focus development efforts on making Messenger the best mobile messaging experience possible and avoid the confusion of having separate Facebook mobile messaging experiences. Messenger is used by more than 200 million people every month, and we'll keep working to make it an even more engaging way to connect with people.
According to the publication, Facebook claims Messenger is 20 percent faster than sending and receiving messages through the main Facebook mobile app. Breaking out chat services to a standalone app will remove bloat from the flagship, while boosting user share for Messenger. While streamlining apps may win the favor of some users, others might take unkindly to the change, especially those who use Chat Heads to multitask while in the flagship Facebook app.
Most recently, Facebook took its Messenger app universal with a new version optimized for the iPad.
For those looking to download Messenger before the new policy goes into effect, the app is available as a free 39MB download from the App Store.
Update: An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated Windows Phone devices will also be affected by the change in Messenger policy. Facebook is planning the drawdown in support for iOS and Android devices only. The article has been updated to reflect this information.
Malcolm Owen
Christine McKee
Charles Martin
William Gallagher
Amber Neely
27 Comments
A pox on Facebook.
I enjoy the messaging app as I have a ton of FB friends but increasingly hate the muddled, battery hungry and pain in the rear actual FB app. I'll keep the messenger app and banish FB app from my phone. Lots of battery savings and I can still check it through the browser when I feel the need.
I enjoy the messaging app as I have a ton of FB friends but increasingly hate the muddled, battery hungry and pain in the rear actual FB app. I'll keep the messenger app and banish FB app from my phone. Lots of battery savings and I can still check it through the browser when I feel the need.
You can do this already. What sucks is FB is now saying you MUST have the messenger app, and they no longer will let you message from the single app. Seems lame to me. Just one more app you have to keep running. I've got no plans to install the messenger app on my phone. This is one foot out of the door from FB for me.
Huh... Facebook... neeever heard of it. Is it a fad of some kind? /s(for being snarky)
The messenger app is substantially better than Facebook's normal application. Design is a lot cleaner and more modern, and it's much more responsive too.