On Sunday, June 19, Facebook began applying a new update to their Messenger app, introducing several changes aimed to provide users a better experience.
According to Pulse Headlines, Facebook has realized that people connect in new ways and is striving to adapt to this new reality. The statement behind Facebook Messenger's update is "reinventing the inbox."
The inbox interface will now feature a Favorites section. Instead of having the contacts they chat with the most in the Active Now tab, users can find now the contacts in the new Favorites section. The messaging service will also include now birthday reminders that have been so far available only on the Facebook Home Page. Besides the birthdays, the new Home tab allows users to see new short cuts to the people they message the most, who is active on Messenger and their recent messages.
Facebook is striving to find simpler and easier ways to start conversations. Since chronological lists of threads are no longer the easiest way to communicated, Facebook is also changing its approach and transform conversations' history in a more relevant model.
By using individual characteristics, Facebook aims to provide users more relevant content, based on new algorithms that allow the social media network to detect preferences of individual users. In the Android version, the messages in the inbox will also integrate with standard SMS texts, allowing users to communicate even with those receivers who do not use the Facebook Messenger app.
Some tech analysts, however, are not so impressed by the implemented update. In their opinion, the latest Facebook Messenger update is not innovative enough to call it a reinvention. But, according to Gizmodo, Facebook's new features will still help people to improve their conversation.
The changes are globally available on Android and iOS, but not available in the browser version. Facebook will roll out the Messenger update over the next few days.
