14 DAY TRIAL // Facebook announced an update to its Messenger application, bringing a new user interface and plenty of new features that put focus on the app’s messaging skills. Messenger will start sorting conversations in tabs, instead of displaying them in a list.
Facebook added a tab called Messages, which lists all one-to-one conversations. The new tab can be accessed at the top of the home screen, but it’s not the only change that Facebook Messenger brings.
A second tab called Active will display contacts that are currently online on Messenger, as well as information on when certain contacts were last seen. The third tab is called Groups and it lists all group conversations that the user had with friends or family. Messenger Day, a feature very similar to Snapchat’s offering, gets a lot of screen space, giving the app a bloated feel.
The bottom bar has tabs for the homescreen and calls, positioned left from the camera shutter which opens the Stories section. The search tool for finding people and playing games is located on the opposite side.
The update will start rolling out on Android and iOS
The Discovery tab will also be featured on the bottom bar, “as it starts rolling out,” David Marcus, Facebook VP stated. Moreover, Facebook added a red dot for notifying users of anything that they might have missed.
The update is set to roll out worldwide this week for Facebook’s Messenger application running on Android and iOS.
Recently, Facebook introduced Instant Games on Messenger, a feature that allows users to play various games while still chatting with friends. Instant Games are available both in Messenger and the News Feed, and will continuously bring new games to users.
That being said, Facebook’s own virtual AI M is already incorporated in Messenger, providing users with suggestions for sending money, placing voice or video calls and suggesting all sorts of actions. In an interview, Facebook’s head of Messenger has recently explained why M doesn’t offer voice control features.