Facebook is completing the separation of its main social network and its messaging service. If you want to send messages via Facebook on mobile, you’ll need to download the Facebook Messenger app soon.
First reported by TechCrunch, this shouldn’t surprise anyone that uses Facebook Messenger app on iOS or Android. While messaging with a person that is still using the messaging feature in the main Facebook app, you get a pop-up to tell your friend to download Facebook Messenger app. Plus, Facebook has already separated the feature from the Facebook app in several European countries.
Facebook sent TNW the following statement:
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.
Unlike Foursquare’s questionable decision to split its features into two apps, having a stand-alone messaging app makes sense. If you just need to shoot out a quick reply, you shouldn’t have to load your entire News Feed. Both apps will load faster and you’ll still get notifications in the main Facebook app when you receive an message. Plus, faster selfie and video sharing.
And stickers!
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