Facebook to remove messaging from core app | Hacker News Reader

Facebook to remove messaging from core app

nbcnews.com

Most of the comments here say they only use the FB app for messaging, and they won't install another app. Why is this Messenger app the 'another' one, when the main app clearly doesn't fit your usual use case? I've kept the main app off my phone for well over a year now, and only looked back when Paper came out. Try just having the Messenger app on your phone, no news feed, no ads, no crap. Just messaging, which works incredibly well on a phone that you're already using for lots of messaging.

I don't know about the other folks ... but I don't want to get sucked into the Feed. I'm with you on this.

My Facebook feed is wholly useless; the few things that might have been of interest there I've already seen on Twitter.

The Facebook Messenger app I've been using pretty consistently recently due to meeting some people and adding them on Facebook, and it's quite good, especially cross-platform (iOS/web).

Correct

The fb app is intrusive (no, I don't want fb notifications on my phone), offers a worse experience than the mobile web version and, well, it's another app

Messenger on the other hand is something much more useful (and lighter)

Finally! It's never made much sense to me that Messenger is both part of the main app, and a separate app - it's pointless duplication. Glad to see they're making up their minds.

…except that the separate app is a total power drain (at least on iOS) because it has a lot of background processing time it uses and is also apparently a VOIP client.

I'd think it would help. A lot of people will only use the messaging much and the main app little. The messaging app is much smaller and more lightweight, and probably makes a more efficient use of resources.

I don't have numbers from Instruments, but anecdatally ;), both my wife and I experienced substantially shorter battery life when we had Messenger installed because it was always waking up in the background—even if we weren't using it.

Messenger may be a little more efficient when running, but it wants to run all the time, which is less efficient.

http://www.tuaw.com/2013/06/04/developer-suspects-facebook-a... http://www.reddit.com/r/iphone/comments/1xyap9/

That's about the FB app, not Messenger.

Also, I suspect if you use FB messaging much you would've had the same problem.

Pointless duplication for sure. So why not get rid of the Messenger app? Why do they need two apps? (Three, if you count Paper) (Four, if you also count the Pages app). Seriously doubt I'll re-install the messenger app even if the main app drops support for messages.

Since iOS doesn't have a back button that works cross app, this sounds bad for usability. Already it pains me to be bounced in and out between the main app and the Pages app, with no working back navigation. This'll be even worse.

Agree. I use both the news feed and the chat. What, now I have to have two apps? Fuck you Facebook.

5 if you count Facebook's Camera app

Because they want users to be able to use Paper instead of the main app, without bundling Messenger into both apps.

It always drove me nuts that on Android, the main and Messenger app had the same APK size -- it made you wonder whether they had the same APK with a different activity set as the start activity.

I don't understand; isn't this how it is now? When I do into messages from the main Facebook it flips to the Messenger app. It's been this way on my phone for several months now.

It does this when the Messenger app is installed.

As long as they keep Pusheen emoticons I'm fine with it

The separate Messaging app currently has stickers, I don't see why they'd remove them.

And yes, the Pusheen emoticons are the best.

I only answer my Facebook messages BECAUSE I can answer them on my mobile app. I won't install another app just for Facebook messaging, so I guess those messages will never get answered.

Same here. I only see Facebook messages because they show up with everything else. Removing that seems really weird.

"I won't install another app just for Facebook messaging"

Why not?

Because its less convenient than what I have. I tend to respond to messages as a side effect of using the newsfeed feature. I do not use Facebook messaging enough on its own to warrant another messaging app outside gchat and SMS. Removing the feature from the main Facebook app only ensures I'll use Gchat more. Dumb move on Facebook's part, at least for my user profile.

I imagine they are doing this because they don't see the point in supporting both code bases.

Is your phone really that memory constrained? Why not just download it?

I have a note 2. I use messaging because it's attached to my news feed. Remove the convenience and it's no different from the 5 other messaging apps i have.

I see, makes sense. I had made the assumption you had friends that exclusively used facebook messenger.

I wonder what the platform breakdown is for people who say they wouldn't use the separate messenger app.

The inclusion of chatheads systemwide on Android makes it a great experience for me (of course YMMV). I wish FB Messenger and its chatheads could handle my SMS as well.

Yep agreed, Facebook Messenger is one of the best Android apps I use because of chatheads. It was never well integrated but I'm sure Facebook used to work as an SMS client on Android too, not sure why they removed it over integrating with chatheads.

Not sure why you were getting downvoted. I agree. If they pull messaging out of the mobile app, I'll stop using it.

CLARIFICATION: I don't get a lot of Facebook messages. Maybe one a week. When I'm using the Facebook app, I take the time to respond to a message if I have one that is unanswered. If it wasn't in the app, I wouldn't switch apps to check the message.

About two years ago, I changed the password on my FB account and stashed it somewhere. I deleted most of my photos and things that appear on my timeline. There were just enough folks I know, that I keep it around ... but I don't use it to communicate on a day-by-day basis.

I certainly don't want it on my phone.

But you know, if there's a separate Messenger app, I'd probably install it. Something that allows people on FB to contact me if they need to ask something, without sucking me into the Feed.

This app already exists, previously the Facebook app handled both, they're just deprecating the messaging functionality from the main app.

If you uninstall the Facebook app, their Messenger app works just fine standalone.

Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.facebook.o...

iOS: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/facebook-messenger/id4546384...

Windows Phone: http://www.windowsphone.com/en-ca/store/app/messenger/3219d3...

Likely this is part of a strategy to get users to install all kinds of FB apps on their phone and slowly take over the phone experience. Next up, Facebook mobile games?

Huh? More likely it's part of the strategy to merge Messaging app and Whatsapp.

And? One approach doesn't invalidate the other.

With this, WhatsApp, and Oculus, it seems like Facebook's initiative in 2014 is to split up into more loosely-connected services rather than a single product.

Oh, this is my writeup. Please let me know if you see anything inaccurate or strange.

My question is why? Is this because they have WhatsApp under their arms?

That is desperate.

Oh, what an epic failure. Messaging is plainly said the only reason I'm still using Facebook.

Why is that an epic failure? Start using the Facebook Messenger app and you'll have a smaller download when new versions ship. I think it's great.

But now I have to have two icons on my home screen when I really just want one.

The OP doesn't use Facebook for any reason but messaging. It's arguably less good for you, and more good for them.

They discontinued Messenger for desktop and now users must do an additional install for accessing Messenger (hint: users are lazy and more likely to ignore the missing functionality at all)... and so they're killing off the only thing that still keeps users accessing Facebook. Yay.

Fb was way more engaging when I had to Guess whether someone was available via mobile or web. Since they've done me the favor of confirming that most people are actively browsing on phones I'm already less inclined to open a chat window.

Glad they're making it safer and easier for me to disengage!

Remember when everyone moved from AOL to AIM? Now neither are used at all.

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