Facebook, in one of its latest updates has made it mandatory to use the Messenger app in Android and iOS devices. Soon the personal message on the app would be a thing of the past!
An email was sent to Facebook users informing them that quite soon the messages option will vanish completely from the Facebook app for Android and iPhone.
However, for the time being the app will still be available on the iPad, Windows Phone and on the mobile web and desktop versions.
For quite some times Facebook has been hinting that the users might have to switch over to Facebook Messenger app but it had so long refrained from making it compulsory. But an official announcement has made it mandatory for the users to resort to Messenger for messaging services.
Worldwide, Facebook has decided to end the mobile messaging service on its main application. Presently, it is prompting its users to download the Messenger app for standalone chat on the mobile devices. That is some forced facility!
Eventually the messages will entirely disappear and the users will be able to check the messages only through the Messenger app or the web.
According to a statement issued by the social networking site, it has already begun the final phase out of mobile messaging via its main app; hence, the users who want to chat will have to download the Messenger app.
Messenger was first introduced by Facebook selectively in the European countries last April. But now the company is moving onto the rest of the world. It is strategy on part of the company to develop more number of standalone apps. This idea is very similar to the launch of Slingshot.
Whenever the users try to send messages in the Facebook app they will be prompted to download Messenger in case they have not done so already. However, the users will be allowed to see the messages that are pending on the main Facebook app. you can still tap on the message tab found in the app but you will be directed to Messenger. Thus, in order to see your messages in details and to reply back you require the Messenger app.
According to the company more than 200 million people use this standalone chat app every month. Although the company claims that this move is to ensure that the users have a better chatting experience but it is said that they want to convert Messenger as a paid service in future.
Presently, you can use Messenger app to send photos, videos, have group chats, use animated stickers, make free voice calls and even leave voice-based messages. It is also supposed to be 20 percent faster and more reliable than the main FB app.
What remains to be seen is how the users react to this change introduced by Facebook.
