The social network company separated instant messages from the main app and forced users to download Messenger partially. It appears that they are gradually moving all mobile website users to its standalone Messenger app for iOS and Android. Now the company wants everyone using its Messenger app by the summer, shutting down its Mobile web messaging service.
It's been some time now since the main app and Messenger went their separate ways, although chats are still accessible through a mobile browser if users don't want to install Messenger, but now that option is about to be put out of action too. There are reports floating about that there already some glitches experienced by people.
According to PC World, users who are accessing their chat through the mobile Facebook website, will get a notification that "your conversations are moving to Messenger" as they tap the chat button, adding that soon users will only be able to view messages from Messenger. The functionality is about to disable from the mobile app just as it was disabled from the original Facebook app.
A report from TechCrunch says Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg claims that it wants to move chats on Messenger so people can have the "best experience" possible while chatting with friends. Of course, this is to avoid confusion they are consolidating everyone for the shutdown. Given how massive the Messenger has become, it isn't hard to see other possible motives behind the move.
This summer, the move will become inevitable and the only option is to download the official Messenger app. Engaget says that Android owners are having a few annoying obstacles accessing their messages from the mobile web and even impossible sometimes. Everything is still smoothly accessible from Chrome on iOS, though it's only a matter of time.
Facebook started the push when it launched its Messenger app in 2011 divorcing it from the main app. In April 2016, Facebook announced that Messenger has reached 900 million monthly active users.
