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Facebook Now Requiring Users To Download Messenger

Marisa Okano |
April 15, 2014 | 5:11 p.m. PDT

Executive Producer

@BosMarketingCom Twitter
@BosMarketingCom Twitter
Facebook addicts, listen up - the social network's flagship texting app Messenger is now a requirement. Users will no longer be able to use the company’s core app to send instant messages.

Last week the Web giant began spreading the news to select users. European Android and iOS users will be first to usher in the new changes.

“Messenger is a much faster and better experience and we’ve found that people get replies 20% faster on Messenger than on Facebook,” a Facebook spokeswoman told CNN Tech via e-mail. “Taking messages out of the Facebook app also lets us focus on making Messenger even better for everyone instead of working on two separate Facebook messaging experiences.”

For longtime Facebook users, the company insists the experience will change marginally. Messenger’s new features will introduce a “return to Facebook” icon that will immediately direct users back to their news feeds.

ALSO READ: Facebook Adding Voice Calls to WhatsApp

Though non-intrusive, the new developments for Messenger has the potential to translate to major profit for the company in the coming months. Many speculate that the latest change to Messenger foreshadows yet another move from Facebook to compete with mobile plans that charge for texting.

The change comes just weeks following the company's noteworthy purchase of mobile messaging client WhatsApp.

Follow Executive Producer Marisa Okano on Twitter.



 

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