Facebook Messenger reaches 1.2 billion users

midian182

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Like the social network itself, Facebook Messenger is incredibly popular. Yesterday, the service passed another milestone: 1.2 billion monthly active users (MAUs). The figure marks an increase of 200 million users over the last eight months and means Messenger now has a similar number of MAUs as WhatsApp, which Facebook also owns.

"I keep on hearing powerful stories about how our product is becoming a more important part of your daily lives," wrote David Marcus, head of Messaging products at Facebook, in an FB post. "So from all of us here at Messenger, a heartfelt thank you to all of you for giving us a chance to build something good and more meaningful for you."

Speaking to TechCrunch, Marcus said the chat app had become the “primary communications channel” for many users. The site also notes that iOS and Android downloads of the app are up 5.66 percent from 145.3 million in Q1 2016 to 153.5M in Q1 2017.

In recent times, Messenger has become much more than an SMS replacement. It now boasts peer-to-peer mobile payments (and group payments), Instant Games, polls, reactions and mentions, new camera features, group video chats, bots, and more.

With Messenger continuing to grow – it now has twice as many users as Instagram – the next step could be the appearance of more ads, which are already being tested on select users in Thailand and Australia.

Last year, Facebook introduced sponsored messages to its chat service, but companies could only send messages to users who initiated a conversation. These are different from the ads currently being tested overseas, which appear on Messenger's home screen.

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When I check FB on my phone (using chrome, not the FB app), they always bug me to switch to messenger.
I just check the "request desktop site" to shut the nag down.
 
When I check FB on my phone (using chrome, not the FB app), they always bug me to switch to messenger.
I just check the "request desktop site" to shut the nag down.

The only reason I use the stupid app is because they pretty much force you into it. I could only take so much of the annoying reminders. Nice of them to brag how many they forced into using it.
 
CHECK PERMISSIONS PEOPLE! Lets play a game... who can spot the most ridiculous things this app wants permissions for but shouldn't need!?

Identity
-find accounts on the device
-add or remove accounts
-read your own contact card
Contacts
-find accounts on the device
-read your contacts
-modify your contacts
Location
-approximate location (network-based)
-precise location (GPS and network-based)
-SMS
-read your text messages (SMS or MMS)
-receive text messages (MMS)
-receive text messages (SMS)
-send SMS messages
-edit your text messages (SMS or MMS)
Phone
-directly call phone numbers
-reroute outgoing calls
-read call log
-read phone status and identity
Photos/Media/Files
-read the contents of your USB storage
-modify or delete the contents of your USB storage
Storage
-read the contents of your USB storage
-modify or delete the contents of your USB storage
Camera
-take pictures and videos
Microphone
-record audio
Wi-Fi connection information
-view Wi-Fi connections
Device ID & call information
-read phone status and identity
Other
-download files without notification
-receive data from Internet
-view network connections
-create accounts and set passwords
-read battery statistics
-pair with Bluetooth devices
-send sticky broadcast
-change network connectivity
-full network access
-change your audio settings
-control Near Field Communication
-read sync settings
-run at startup
-draw over other apps
-control vibration
-prevent device from sleeping
-toggle sync on and off
-install shortcuts
-read Google service configuration
 
The only reason I use the stupid app is because they pretty much force you into it. I could only take so much of the annoying reminders. Nice of them to brag how many they forced into using it.

Interesting...never once been nagged about the FB app on my android phone, but, I also use the app Adguard, which may block it for all I know.
 
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