The social networking king, Facebook (NASDAQ: FB), has just announced that it will no longer ask users to set up an account in order to use its popular instant messaging app, Messenger.
From now on, people can make use of the company’s product – which has been carefully developed over months – without having to get in the ordeal of signing up for the network.
All people have to do is provide their phone number and ostensibly set up a passcode for security purposes – you can also add a profile photo, send any file format, create group chats and conduct video calls. From there on the service will access your phone’s contact list and let you know which of your connections are already using the service.
The particular move belongs to the company’s strategy to expand its presence in the mobile market, this time making use of its famous messaging up which recently hit one billion downloads in Play Store. Another similar product unveiled last month was Facebook Lite, a less-requiring Facebook app aimed to emerging markets such as India, where Internet speeds are incredibly low. The application allows users to do the bare essentials such as messaging, commenting and uploading photos.
Overall, with that move Facebook is practically differentiating its original product, which is the social network itself, from the instant messaging service provided by a separate app, the Messenger.
According to the press release, the particular feature is currently exclusively available for people from US, Canada, Peru and Venezuela with more regions to follow soon.
