In its continuing efforts to separate itself from the main Facebook app, Messenger today received a redesign that will add a Home tab so you can see which of your friends are online, whose birthdays are coming up, and your favorite people to chat with.
The redesign hopes to offer more hierarchy so you can continue the conversations you’ve left off, or start new ones with people you often engage with.
On the lower navigation bar, you’ll also see tabs like calls, contacts, groups, and your own personal profile. Previously when you open the app, the bar sits at the top, and you have a view of all the latest conversations you’ve had with friends. The top bar has now been replaced with a search bar, which replicates Facebook’s mobile search experience.
With the Facebook app starting to funnel people to Messenger when they want to start private conversations, it’s no surprise that Messenger needs to look like its own standalone app than a supplementary one. It’s been a big week for the app, considering it’s added SMS capabilities and a new emoji game as well.
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