Facebook Messenger app launches

Facebook has launched a messaging application for use on both Android and iPhones. An engineer within Facebook, Lucy Zhang said that the messaging app can be used to not only exchange messages within the user’s Facebook friends, but also to send messages on a user’s mobile phone contact list.

In a Facebook blog post Zhang explained the relevance of the product, saying, “When you’re on the go, coordinating a bunch of people can be tricky, especially if plans change at the last minute. With Messenger, you can quickly start a group conversation and message everyone at once.”

Facebook has also mentioned that photo and location based sharing are also part of the messenger application. Zhang is careful to remind users that this feature is nothing new and that “The Messenger app is an extension of Facebook messages, so all your conversations are in one place, including your texts, chats, emails and messages. Whether you’re on your phone or on the web, you can see the full history of all your messages.”

If you wish to download the app, then head on over to the US or UK App Store (currently only available in these regions) or visit Facebook to receive a link to the app which will be texted to your mobile.

Our Micro-review (iPhone version)

The new Facebook messaging application is an almost carbon copy of the messaging portion within the Facebook application itself. The interface is exactly the same, with the ability to now include a photo from the camera or from your phone’s memory. Also notable, is the ability to include the user’s location in each message.

Additionally, conversation alerts can be controlled and alerts can be received instantly, every hour, or only once a day at 8am. Based on the massive install base of Facebook, it is plain to see that the aim of this app is to compete with Blackberry Messenger, WhatsApp and Apples soon-to-be-released iMessage. For those who are looking to keep their Facebook chats under control, this is a must-have app.