messenger
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Facebook wants users to be able to set Messenger as the default on iOS
Facebook wants you to be able to use Messenger as the default messaging app on iOS.
Facebook’s Messenger and Portal will support third-party AR effects next year
You might already be aware of third-party AR effects on Instagram and Facebook, many of which have become increasingly popular during quarantine. Soon, those effects could be coming to Messenger and Portal as well.
Facebook limits forwarding on Messenger to fight misinformation
Facebook hopes its Messenger forwarding limit will slow the spread of misinformation.
Facebook gives Messenger users more reasons to use Rooms
When Facebook introduced Messenger Rooms in April, you didn't have a lot when it came to managing your group video chats through the Messenger app. That's changing with a new update.
Instagram starts merging chats with Facebook Messenger
An Instagram update has begun the process of merging chats with Facebook Messenger, although it's not completely ready yet.
Facebook brings screen sharing to Messenger on Android and iOS
Facebook added screen sharing to Messenger video calls on its iOS and Android apps.
Facebook expands Portal group calls to 50 people
It's bringing more Zoom-esque features to the device.
WhatsApp test lets you add contacts with QR codes
The days of typing in people's numbers to message them is coming to an end.
Facebook's small business tools include a new Messenger inbox
Facebook is planning more features to help business owners stay connected with customers.
After Math: We're dreaming of escape and DJI drones
This week's headlines are hopefully as close as you've gotten to going outdoors.
Facebook introduces a 'care' reaction in difficult times
Messenger users, meanwhile, can activate a new pinky-purple heart by long-pressing the existing heart reaction.
Facebook releases an experimental messaging app for Apple Watch
Facebook's latest experimental app is designed to help you keep in touch with family and close friends.
Facebook debuts standalone Messenger app on Mac and PC
Today, Facebook is bringing its Messenger app to desktop. You can now access Messenger -- including unlimited and free group video calls -- on MacOS and Windows. The desktop app will sync across mobile, offer notifications for new messages and support Dark Mode and GIFs.
Facebook’s new Messenger hub shares tips for staying connected virtually
Today, Facebook launched a new "Messenger Coronavirus Community Hub," which so far basically just explains how people, communities and businesses can use Messenger to stay connected during the coronavirus pandemic. If you already use Messenger, this isn't going to introduce any groundbreaking ideas or features. Instead, the hub will provide tips like how parents and educators, for example, can host virtual playdates or use voice and video calls to check in on students and colleagues.
Facebook opens Messenger to help governments offer coronavirus advice
Facebook Messenger is launching a program to help the UN and government health organizations share timely coronavirus information with the public. The idea is to connect Messenger developers with government organizations to develop create apps and bots, in order to share updates about the pandemic, answer commonly asked questions and more.
Facebook’s rebuilt Messenger is a big step towards unifying its chat apps
Facebook just moved one step closer toward its goal of allowing users to swap messages across Messenger, WhatsApp and Instagram. Today, the company announced that it's rolling out a new version of Messenger for iOS that's been rebuilt "from the ground up." This is the "Lightspeed" redesign the company first teased last year at F8. But, besides, faster launch speeds, most users shouldn't notice much of a difference between the new app and the one they've already been using. That's because "Lightspeed" was more about simplifying Messenger's underlying code (Facebook notes the app went from 1.76 million lines of code to 360,000) than adding features to a notoriously bloated app.
Facebook removes Discover tab in Messenger to simplify chat
Do you spend your days browsing Facebook Messenger's Discover tab for bands, games and chatbots? No? You're not alone -- and Facebook is doing something about it. The social network has confirmed to TechCrunch that it's rolling out a Messenger redesign that axes the Discover tab, leaving just Chats and People. You'll also see People split into both active chatters and Stories, while Instant Games (to no one's surprise) and Transportation are gone from the chat composer's utility tray. Bots, games and other features aren't completely gone, but you will have to search for them.
Facebook will pay for user recordings to improve speech recognition
Facebook may have stopped listening to and transcribing Messenger voice chats, but it still needs voice recordings to improve its speech recognition technology. So the company is going to pay select users to record snippets of audio through a new program called "Pronunciations," The Verge reports. In exchange, users can earn up to $5.
Messenger signups without a Facebook account are no longer possible
You'll no longer be able to sign up for Messenger if you don't have a Facebook account. Back in 2015, the social network started allowing potential users to sign up for its messaging app using only their phone numbers. Now, an entry in the website's Help Center clearly states that "you'll need to create a Facebook account to use Messenger." The company has also confirmed the change to VentureBeat, telling the publication that "the vast majority of people who use Messenger already log in through Facebook" and that it merely wants to simplify the process.
Even Facebook's Messenger is getting in on the Star Wars hype
In case you hadn't heard, there's a little indie movie coming out next week called Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. As if tie-ins from the likes of Le Creuset weren't enough for the future arthouse classic, Facebook is getting in on the act with its first branded chat theme for Messenger.
