How Facebook Messenger Is Getting Cooler
Facebook is turning its chat product into a full service platform.
— -- Facebook Messenger is about to balloon into a full-service hub for chatting up businesses, creating new content and changing the way users shop online.
Speaking at F8, the social network's annual developer conference, CEO Mark Zuckerberg said Messenger would be opened up to developers to build new experiences for the app's 600 million users.
Here's a look at what is changing on Messenger and what Facebook envisions users being able to conduct their daily business with the app.
Messenger For Businesses
Facebook wants to change the way businesses and their customers interact by allowing them to send each other a chat on Messenger.
"I don’t know anyone who likes calling businesses. It's not fast or convenient and it definitely doesn't feel like the future," Zuckerberg said.
When shopping online with partners, customers can opt to have their receipt and any subsequent notifications sent to them on Messenger instead of filling up their email inbox.
The messenger functionality will also allow users to chat businesses directly to complete any changes to the completed order.
Zuckerberg said it's the first step into making it easier to connect businesses and consumers.
The initial business offering will launch with Everlane, Zulily and Zendesk in the coming weeks, with more partnerships in the works.
Create New Content
Those silly stickers in Messenger are addictive, but the opportunities to create new content to express oneself are being taken to the next level.
Facebook is rolling out a spate of third-party apps that will allow users to create rich text and video content to be shared in Messenger.
Think apps that let you slap a mustache and create hipster Mark Zuckerberg. Or Zya's Ditty, an app that will turn your written words into a pop song video snippet that can be sent to a friend.
David Marcus, vice president of messaging products at Facebook, said more than 40 apps will be launching as early as today.
"All of them are fun and engaging and really, really much better," he said.