Facebook Messenger Aims to Replace Text Messaging

Facebook has updated its Messenger to try to replace the traditional text messaging that most cell phone users prefer. It hopes to become the primary way people text each other.

No Facebook Account Needed

With Facebook Messenger, no Facebook account is necessary.  The only requirement is a phone number to communicate with their friends.  For its initial phase, Messenger is only available in South Africa, India, Argentina, Venezuela, and Australia. Rumors say that a US version will be available in the near future. This message app does not put you over your texting limits, and it offers more options than the traditional SMS does.  There are no limits to the number of characters like SMS has.

Currently, Facebook Messenger is only available on Android, but you can’t help but assume that the iOS will be getting it sometime soon.

A Complete App

Unlike traditional text messaging that keeps things simple, Facebook Messenger combines a wide array of features. For instance, you can get in touch with friends either on mobile or on the computer.  You can find out who is available to chat and start a conversation. You can list your location to let your friends know where you are.

Facebook Messenger is not new; it’s been around for some time.  Originally, it was an app for Facebook users to communicate with each other.  It was a separate app from Facebook, but still connected to the site. It was hoped that people would choose to use it instead of text messaging on their mobile devices. The problem with the original app was that it only worked for people with a Facebook account.  Now, Facebook is designing a separate signup process that does not require a Facebook account for use.

It appears that Facebook is hoping to reach a whole new audience with this new offering.  It also shows the potential for growth that messaging has right now.

[Image via androidcommunity]