Facebook Messenger

History

Facebook launched the iOS and Android versions of Facebook Messenger on August 9, 2011, with an October 11 update making the app available for BlackBerry OS. Facebook launched the Tizen version of Facebook Messenger on July 13, 2015.

In April 2014, Facebook announced that the messaging feature will be removed from the main Facebook app and users will be required to download Messenger.

On March 17, 2015, Facebook added a functionality in which users can send money to their friends. It is currently only available in the United States.

On April 27, 2015, Facebook introduced video calling in the Facebook Messenger app. The functionality was first launched in Belgium, Canada, Croatia, Denmark, France, Greece, Ireland, Laos, Lithuania, Mexico, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Poland, Portugal, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Uruguay.

At the Facebook F8 conference on March 25, 2015, Facebook announced that the Messenger platform is taking first steps to bring businesses on Messenger with the goal of enhancing how people and businesses communicate. Users will be able to sign up to connect with businesses in Messenger, receiving personalized updates. Businesses can use custom layouts designed for order confirmation, shipping updates and more. The service is already available with selected US businesses. With the new update, users can also use Facebook Messenger without a Facebook account and by just signing up using their mobile phone number.

As part of this business feature, Facebook launched Transportation on Messenger in cooperation with Uber. As of January 2016, this service is still in testing and will be available to selected users in the locations where Uber operates in the United States.

On February 2016, Facebook Messenger implemented SMS texting within the app making the Facebook Messenger default sms app. Facebook first integrated SMS into Messenger for Android in 2012, showing texts in both the default messages app and Messenger. But it dropped the feature in 2013 after weak traction, likely in a gambit to focus on boosting Messenger usage. Then in February 2016, Messenger started testing its modern version of SMS in Messenger. Giving everyone access on texting while using Facebook Messenger.

In April 2016, Facebook Messenger launched "Group Calling", allowing users to add up to 50 participants simultaneously over the internet. This feature will be available on Android and iOS devices for free and users can start a group VoIP audio call from any group chat. To start a group call, a user needs to just tap the 'phone' icon, select which of the group chat members they want to include or call. All the selected members will receive a Messenger call simultaneously.

On June 16, 2016, Facebook announced at the WIRED Business Conference that Home button will be added to help users keep track of conversations, as an anchor for sending and receiving messages.

On October 3, 2016, Facebook launched Facebook Messenger Lite, a stripped-down version of Messenger with a reduced feature set. The app is aimed primarily at old Android phones and regions where high-speed Internet is not widely available. Facebook Messenger Lite is available in Kenya, Tunisia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Venezuela, and is set to come to other countries later.

On October 4, 2016, Facebook deployed end-to-end encryption as an optional feature for Facebook Messenger users. It is available in an optional mode called "Secret Conversations" and uses the Signal Protocol.

Facebook Messenger introduced group voice calls app back in April 2016, and announced in December 2016 that it’s working out the kinks to bring this to home and office, as an alternative to traditional conference calls.

On March 10, 2017, Facebook launched Messenger Day. Messenger Day, similar to Snapchat Stories' ephemeral messaging - gives the user the ability to sharing photos and videos with your friends that automatically disappear within 24 hours. This would make Messenger the third platform from Facebook to build on the stories concept from Snapchat.

Facebook Messenger does not have a log out option and instead has other options such as Appear as inactive, Switch accounts or Turn off notifications.

Active

iOS:

iPhone and iPod Touch: Facebook launched the iOS version of Facebook Messenger on August 9, 2011.

iPad: On July 3, 2014, a native Messenger app was released for iPad. It was specially designed for iPad rather than just running as an enlarged iPhone app. Messenger for iPad features a multi-window interface showing a list of threads and the current conversation at the same time.

Android: Facebook launched the Android version of Facebook Messenger on August 9, 2011.

In December 2012, the Facebook Messenger app for Android in some regions (such as Australia, South Asia, Indonesia, South Africa, and Venezuela) added the ability to use Messenger without a Facebook account by simply using a name and phone number. These changes are intended to allow Facebook Messenger to compete against similar mobile messaging platforms such as WhatsApp as an alternative to text messaging. Later updates added the ability to use Facebook Messenger as a replacement text messaging client on Android, and added "Chat Heads", an overlay chat system originating from Facebook Home.

BlackBerry OS: Facebook launched the BlackBerry OS version of Facebook Messenger on October 11, 2011.

Windows Phone 8: On March 5, 2014, Facebook Messenger app was released for Windows Phone 8. This app contains many features similar to iOS and Android apps but lacks chat heads and voice messaging features.

Web: On April 8, 2015, Facebook officially launched messenger.com, which enables users to chat directly through a web browser, without needing to visit facebook.com. Facebook stated that the messages feature in facebook.com will not be removed, unlike how Facebook has separated the feature in its mobile app. On January 14, 2017, Facebook launched Messenger in Facebook.com, replacing the previous messaging interface.

Windows 10: In May 2016 Facebook launched a fully featured messaging app for Windows 10, available in the Windows Store.

Tizen: Facebook launched Facebook Messenger for Tizen Os on July 13, 2015. It is now available on Tizen Store.

Discontinued

Microsoft Windows: Messenger for Windows Desktop was officially released on March 5, 2012 for Windows 7 users. Testing on the software began among a limited beta tester group on November 21, 2011; however, a leaked link to the beta-stage software was publicly revealed to tech bloggers by Israeli blog TechIT. Facebook responded the same day by announcing the link's availability through its Help Center.

Among its features was a "ticker" similar in function to the sidebar of friend activity seen by Facebook website users. At the time of release, "chatting with multiple friends, video calling, limiting chat availability and editing settings" were not available through the software. A Mac OS X version was mentioned by Facebook developers as forthcoming. Messenger for Windows Desktop was discontinued on 3 March 2014.

Firefox: Facebook also launched an add-on for Firefox, titled Facebook Messenger for Firefox. Facebook Messenger for Firefox was discontinued on 3 March 2014.

Bots

Facebook Messenger supports chatbots, and in April 2016 launched a Messenger Platform service which allows developers to create bot accounts that can interact with Facebook users. Bots created at launch include weather services, Scorebot football events, CNN news, 1-800-Flowers and the interactive fiction adventure Zork.

Pay with Messenger

In June 2015, Facebook Messenger rolled out peer-to-peer payment service across the United States, which allows users to transfer money with one another within the chat by tapping the dollar icon for free using debit cards. Although the service is only available within the U.S. and in U.S. Dollars, Facebook Messenger payment service might soon also roll-out in Europe, as Facebook Payments International Ltd. has been granted an E-Money Institution authorization by the Central Bank of Ireland in October 2016.

Instant Games

As of November 2016, Facebook unveiled a new initiative called Facebook Instant Games, an HTML5 gaming platform to play games on Messenger and in the Facebook News feed. It introduced users to 17 new in-app instant games such as Pac-Man, Endless Lake, Galaga and Arkanoid.

Reception

In November 2014, the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) listed Facebook Messenger (Facebook chat) on its Secure Messaging Scorecard. It received a score of 2 out of 7 points on the scorecard. It received points for having communications encrypted in transit and for having recently completed an independent security audit. It missed points because the communications were not encrypted with keys the provider didn't have access to, users could not verify contacts' identities, past messages were not secure if the encryption keys were stolen, the source code was not open to independent review, and the security design was not properly documented.