That’s not to say that Facebook Inc (NASDAQ:FB) messaging is going to stop any time soon despite the company acquiring WhatsApp for $19 billion in February. It simply means that those that are interested in continuing to use Facebook messaging will need to download its independent Facebook Messenger app.
Facebook users don’t like change
Facebook Inc (NASDAQ:FB) users like to complain. Every time the company chooses to rework News Feed or other features, either for desktop or mobile, it’s inundated with bitchiness and complaints. For that matter, my News Feed is inundated with complaints from “friends” when something is changed, never mind that this often happens when a change is largely thought of as a positive change by me or other tech journalists.
Those same friends that swear off the world’s largest social network and promise that they will leave the site, rarely if ever leave. Rather, they remain and continue to complain.
These complaints may have something in them this time. Homescreen “real estate” is a valuable commodity for smartphone users, and even “phablet” users are limited. The idea of needing two separate apps to connect to the same social network is a touch infuriating.
But it’s better
But what if it makes both the standard Facebook mobile app and Facebook Messenger better? Because that is indeed the plan. “Once the while process is complete, we expect the core apps to be faster,” said the spokesperson.
Facebook Inc (NASDAQ:FB) said its Messenger app is a faster and better experience than the messaging feature on its main app. The company also said that users get responses 20% quicker through the Messenger app than its main app.
If you already have both apps installed the change is a moot point. Presently, you’re able to send messages through Messenger and once both are installed the Messenger app becomes the default app. That, however, is changing. While the roll-out won’t happen immediately, it is coming and its coming soon. But, it won’t come as a surprise as the Menlo Park-based company intends to send a number of notifications to its users before D-Day.
While Facebook Inc (NASDAQ:FB) is doing its best, expect the company’s competitor, Twitter Inc (NYSE:TWTR), to carry the load of customer complaints.
