According to a notice sent to users, the social media giant Facebook starts removing chat capability from its mobile web application.
Tech Crunch reports that the notice sent by Facebook to its users announces that the conversations will move to Messenger. While at the moment users can just dismiss the notice, it is expected that this summer the only option left will be to download the official Messenger app.
Some of the users of Facebook's chat app on the mobile site are worried about the changes. Many of those who are using the mobile site have good reason not to download the app. Among them are owners of phones that do not have official clients or people who must access via the web because they cannot upgrade to the latest version of an OS.
The usual excuse of Facebook for discontinuing its chat app on the mobile site may be that the company wants to provide the best possible experience in messaging. However, according to tech experts, the company might have some more pragmatic reasons. It is near impossible to monetize a basic text-bases chat, but it is much easier to do so with a powerful platform like Messenger.
There are some differences in the user experience on the mobile and desktop versions of Facebook. Messenger supports stickers and video, since this is a more full-featured app.
According to PCWorld, it seems that Facebook's push to Messenger will be in stages: When users check Facebook via the mobile app, they get notified to install Messenger, but they are not warned that they would be required soon to use the Facebook Messenger app.
According to Engadget, for the moment only Android users appear to be affected by Facebook's push toward Messenger for mobile website. However, it is expected that in the near future, iOS users will get forced to utilize Messenger as well.
