AfterDawn: News

Facebook's standalone Messenger app is now mandatory if you want to chat

Facebook will be removing messaging functionality from its iPhone and Android apps in the next week, meaning if you want to continue to use the social network to chat you will need to get the standalone Messenger app for your device.

The company first required European users to download Messenger back in April, and the results have been "positive."



If you are accessing Facebook from Windows Phones, iPads, the mobile Web site, Paper or via desktops, you can continue to use the built-in chat without the need for a separate app.

Facebook is sending push notifications that chat is disappearing without the standalone app, and an email will also be sent explaining the move.

Says the social network: "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."

Source:
Crunch

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 28 Jul 2014 23:19

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• 4 comments

• hearme0

  Facebook trying to maintain relevance without having to put any work into it. That's mediocrity at its finest.

  28.7.2014 23:54 #1

• SProdigy

  They need to fix their API so applications like Digsby and AIM work flawlessly. Too many people use this feature to simply ignore it, so hopefully this is a step in the right direction.

  29.7.2014 12:37 #2

• GryphB

  I don't use FB.

  29.7.2014 22:01 #3

• klassic

  Originally posted by GryphB: I don't use FB. Then why comment on an article with a useless post. Meanwhile...I have been avoiding the app for months. My wife has had it and she has no complaints. And she complains about everything with her phone. So it must not be that bad.
  
  

  I wanna devise a virus and bring dire straights to your environments. Crush your corporations with a mild touch, trash the whole computer systems and revert you to papyrus - Deltron 3030

  30.7.2014 10:03 #4