Facebook keeps changing constantly and the next big change will ditch the chat functionality on mobile, leaving it entirely up to Facebook Messenger.
The social network has reportedly started notifying users in some European countries that in two weeks it will remove the chat functionality from the mobile Facebook app.
Users who still want to chat on Facebook using their mobile device will have to download and install the company's popular chat application, Facebook Messenger, if they haven't already done it already. The messages button will still remain in the Facebook app, but tapping it will redirect users out to Messenger.
The Verge reports having received confirmation from a Facebook spokesperson and this move is not just a test, it will occur in every country in the near future. As expected, however, there are also a few exceptions to the rule. Lower-end Android handsets with little memory, for instance, will be exempted from having to download Messenger. Also, Windows Phone and tablet users will be able to continue seeing messages inside their Facebook mobile apps as well. The messaging functionality will also remain inside Facebook's recently-launched news app Paper, at least for now.
Facebook will likely update its mobile apps soon to remove messaging and may also launch a version of its Messenger specifically optimized for tablets. While chatting in the dedicated Messenger app is more fluid and better overall than in the main Facebook app, some users are still reluctant and prefer using just one app instead of two.
On the other hand, kicking Messenger out of its main app may allow Facebook to focus on adding more features, including the much-touted free calling feature that recently hit the Messenger app. As The Verge further points out, Facebook may also shrink the size of its main app to make it smoother and more responsive.
"Once the whole process is complete, we expect the core apps to be faster," the spokesperson told The Verge.
Facebook recently stirred quite some waves with its big acquisition of the WhatsApp messaging service, but Messenger is still more popular in some countries where WhatsApp has yet to leave a relevant footprint.
These new changes will likely take a while to reach all countries and users, but Facebook is keen on making this move and implementing it worldwide. Starting in two weeks, Facebook messages will be entirely up to Messenger, with the aforementioned exceptions.
