Facebook debuted a new mobile messenger app this week, enabling users to instantly message each other from their smartphones.
The app – Facebook Messenger – allows users to send messages to one or multiple friends at one time, as well as SMS to a user’s phone contact that is not on Facebook.
The social network’s latest addition is another move to encourage users away from traditional communication channels, by incorporating Facebook’s ‘social inbox’ platform. Launched last year in November, this feature combines a user’s chat, email and text into a single thread, making it easier for users to keep track of a conversation.
Facebook Messenger is only available Stateside on the Apple iOS and Google Android smartphones. There is no indication as to when this will reach the UK market.
This is a well-timed launch by Facebook, as Google+ recently endorsed the Google Huddle Group application. Unlike the user and mobile-friendly Facebook Messenger, Huddle can only be accessed by users that have the app installed on their smartphone.
As with other Facebook apps and mobile products, any advertising or commercial prospects have yet to be planned. This paves a new outlet for digital media companies to discover commercial opportunities to connect brands and consumers.
