Back in 2011 – what many of us refer to as the “good old days” of Facebook – platform could message friends directly from the app. When Facebook decided to create the separate Messenger app, many were against the move. Some disliked the separate app so much, they refused to download it. The good news? Researcher Jane Manchun Wong has spotted hints that Facebook may return Messenger to the Facebook app once and for all.
Wong states that when users tap a button called Messenger in the Facebook app, it would take you to a specific section called “Chats” in the same app. Back in 2011, the chat section on the Facebook app allowed users to easily message and find which friends were currently online. Facebook’s move to integrate messaging back to one app is likely part of its master plan to combine all of its services.
Facebook has a long-term goal to unify messaging through Instagram, Messenger, and WhatsApp. This is all part of its plan to ensure user privacy. Although it may sound like a great, simplified idea, we expect that the change to a unified messaging platform for all three apps will create debate among users. Facebook’s developers are expected to finish the project in late 2019/early 2020, so feel free to voice your opinions/concerns before it’s too late.
For now, Facebook’s team has much more testing and redesigning to complete before an official release. Would you like to see the return of messaging to the Facebook app or has the Messenger app finally won you over?
Facebook is bringing the Chats back to the app for preparing integrated messaging
Tip @Techmeme pic.twitter.com/LABK7qrk0e
— Jane Manchun Wong (@wongmjane) April 12, 2019
