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Facebook introduces Messenger app for Android and iOS

By on August 10, 2011 10:06 am

Are you a heavy user of the SMS feature on your mobile phone? If so, Facebook's recent announcement might be just the thing you need to keep those fingers of yours even busier while on the move. Apparently, the world's most popular online social networking service has just unveiled its new Messenger standalone app which claims to be capable of allowing users to keep in touch with all their buddies in a much easier way.

The mobile phone may have been originally conceived as a means to allow people the luxury of making and receiving phone calls while on the move, but thanks to the power of technology, it seems that its main use today is more on sending text messages, emails and posting updates on popular online social networking services. And if you happen to be one of those cellphone users whose fingers see more action on an alphanumeric or QWERTY keyboard rather than the 'Call' button, you will probably have much to like about Facebook's latest announcement. The popular online social networking service has just announced the availability of Messenger, a new mobile app for smartphones which is reportedly capable of simplifying the way users send messages to others on their smartphone.


According to a posting made by Facebook engineer Lucy Zhang on the official Facebook blog, the new Messenger app is designed to allow users the capability of sending messages to their friends on Facebook on or their mobile phone contact lists. All users have to do is to simply enter the recipient's name into the app and it will return a list of possible contacts, as shown in the screenshot below.

In addition, Zhang added that the Messenger app can also be used to initiate group conversations to allow for easier coordination between a bunch of people, and that Messenger also supports the attachment of digital content such as photos and location information. Lastly, Zhang has also confirmed that Messenger is basically an extension of Facebook messages; this means that all the conversations made through Messenger, be it text messages, chat logs or emails, will be stored in a central location which a user can access as long as there are online, regardless of the device they are using.

The Messenger app is already available for download at the respective app repositories for both iOS and Android, although Zhang has not released any details as to whether Facebook plans to port the app to other popular mobile platforms such as Symbian, Windows Phone or Meego.

Source: Facebook blog, Facebook

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