Facebook Messenger Apple Watch App to Be Discontinued By End of May, Says Meta

[kingtj1971]

Some apps never made a version for the Watch. Some apps never improved their buggy and feature-less Watch version after making the initial one. And more and more apps have been backing out of the Watch.

This was one of the reasons I abandoned the Apple Watch altogether. I owned a Watch for two years. I was hoping to occasionally be able to take the cell-enabled Watch outside without the phone. But the app support was never there.

Over that period I had two small urgent situations I needed to deal with while out and I had only my watch with me. It was better than nothing, and actually showed off what the watch could do in a pinch, but it was not enough and I might as well have brought my phone with me.

Admittedly, the Watch is still worth it for the health features if you are into that, but it's not for me, and it was just another thing to charge. And as Yoda said, "Charge often, you must."

Honestly, I never liked most of the native watch apps anyway. Too clumsy to use on the small screen, etc.

I get the interest if you're paying for the cellular data on a plan for the watch, but I never bought the cellular version of it because I figured it was best used as a "remote device" tethered to my iPhone. I was fine with it being more of a dumb watch if I don't have my phone with me, because 95% of the time, I do have it with me. Trying not to have more monthly subscriptions for things like another cellular device plan.

 

[AstroRexaur]

And I was waiting all this time for a WhatsApp app. I guess it will never happen now

and telegram! But, by some strange reason, I receive telegram notifications while in Cellular mode (when I not have my iPhone) and I must answer the message right away because if not, I cannot access to that message again to reply.

 

[sir1963nz]

If I can not use your site/services with a web browser I will not use them
If I can not have a wen browser with ad blocking/tracker blocking etc then I will not use your site/services
I will NEVER install your "App" to access your services.

So, no great loss for me if Facebook et al throw their toys out of their cot.

 

[csnwbd2251]

Facebook? How many Boomers even *own* an Apple Watch?

This boomer owns an Apple Watch....but no Facebook, Instagram, TikTok or you name it.

 

[dampfnudel]

And I was waiting all this time for a WhatsApp app. I guess it will never happen now

Given the trend to pivot away from Apple Watch apps, highly unlikely. We may even see the day when Apple decides to drop all third-party apps from the Apple Watch and only allow third-party apps on your iPhone to send notifications to your watch and nothing else.

 

[dampfnudel]

Ads are coming to WhatsApp and Messenger, if they aren't already. No way Apple would allow those ads to be served up on the watch app. Doesn't take a genius to figure out that Meta ran the math and figured out how many ad dollars would be lost by users using the Watch app vs the phone app. By removing the watch app, users will now be forced to use the phone app....and see the ads. Follow. the. money.

People often end up inconvenienced or worse because of those decisions. Sometimes you find a good or good enough alternative, sometimes you have to learn to live without that convenience.

 

[Mr. Dee]

I don't even use FaceBook Messenger on my devices, whats the big deal?

 

[dmr727]

This boomer owns an Apple Watch....but no Facebook, Instagram, TikTok or you name it.

My Dad has one too, although he's on Facebook and Instagram. My post was meant as a joke about Facebook users skewing older, but you guys have certainly made yourselves known - I bet I've set a record for the number of disagrees on a single post!

 

[rjjacobson]

My Dad has one too, although he's on Facebook and Instagram. My post was meant as a joke about Facebook users skewing older, but you guys have certainly made yourselves known - I bet I've set a record for the number of disagrees on a single post!

Cheers LOL Another boomer hobby for me craft beer

 

[oldmacs]

I don't even use FaceBook Messenger on my devices, whats the big deal?

The big deal is that plenty of us do use messenger on our watches, and now won’t be able to.

Tired of apps I use on the watch disappearing - Apple need to make the watch app development process better.

 

[rjjacobson]

The big deal is that plenty of us do use messenger on our watches, and now won’t be able to.

Tired of apps I use on the watch disappearing - Apple need to make the watch app development process better.

I have lots of international friends in the fossil trilobites hobby. I co-admin the trilobites group on Facebook. I can’t text them and messenger is perfect for that need

 

[ninetyCent]

What's the point of having an app like this on the watch?

 

[Aston441]

My advice: Stay away from Facebook. Protect your privacy.

There’s no privacy anywhere. Long gone.

Best reason to not touch Facebook is the horrible destruction it wrought upon our culture, which was finished off in the final kill by Tinder.

 

[jonnysods]

I may be a rare case, but I really only use the watch for fitness, notifications, email/text glancing/deleting/replying and using Siri to set reminders. All native to the watch so no loss for me.

 

[ss2cire]

Wow something I actually use from Facebook (meta) and now they remove it. Alas, another Apple Watch app bites the dust.

 

[SoGood]

Too many useless watchOS apps these days. Notification is more than good enough for the tiny screen while iMessage covered those other needs.

 

[4odomi]

Facebook Messenger's Apple Watch app will be discontinued at the end of this month, according to Meta, ending the ability for users to reply to messages on the service from their wrist.

Posts shared on social media carried a screenshot of a notification sent to a handful of users in recent days informing them that Messenger won't be available as an Apple Watch app after May 31, but that users would continue to get Messenger notifications on their watch.

Not all users of the app received the notification, but when asked for clarification by Reviewgeek, a Meta spokesperson gave the following statement:
Meta did not give a reason for its decision to sunset its Messenger app for Apple Watch, which was introduced in 2015. The app allowed users to send voice clips, likes, stickers, and more without having to open the corresponding smartphone app.

Some users on Facebook suggested it could be because allowing users to respond to messages on their wrist reduced the amount of screen time spent in Messenger on their smartphone. But the app joins a long line of other third-party services that have pulled watchOS development over the last few years, either due to perceived redundancy or lack of user uptake. Other notable Apple Watch apps that have been discontinued include Twitter, Instagram, Target, Trello, Slack, Hulu, and Uber.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1656017246286749697

Apple over time has gradually shifted away from promoting the Apple Watch as a home for apps, with the company focusing on fitness and health features as the primary functionality. Recent rumors suggest Apple intends to make interactive widgets a big part of its watchOS 10 redesign, which has been interpreted as proof that dedicated apps have not proved popular enough.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman believes that the move is an admission that an iPhone-like app experience "doesn't always make sense on a watch" since "Apple Watch apps have barely caught on." However, due to being a radical departure from the app-centric experience existing Apple Watch users are used to, Apple may make the new widget-based interface optional.

The changes are part of what Gurman claims will be one of the Apple Watch's biggest software updates since its introduction and the most significant change to the Apple Watch this year, as only minor hardware updates are expected to be unveiled later this year.

Article Link: Facebook Messenger Apple Watch App to Be Discontinued By End of May, Says Meta

I left FB 2 years ago and have no intention of returning

 

[4odomi]

Does anyone know if there are any messaging apps that work standalone on the watch then? This was the last one I knew of and it was useful when I leave my phone behind and need to message my partner who doesn't have an Apple device.

Call her or get your partner an iPhone, the iMessage app works perfectly 😊

 

[4odomi]

and telegram! But, by some strange reason, I receive telegram notifications while in Cellular mode (when I not have my iPhone) and I must answer the message right away because if not, I cannot access to that message again to reply.

It's the same with all messaging apps, including WhatsApp....hence this is a none event

 

[iBreatheApple]

BS. Users are speaking out loud by not using apps. Widgets for AW are a dumb idea, AW is not an interactive device. Apple knows better, I hope, health, fitness is the main reason people get AW.

I don’t care about this because I don’t have Facebook. However, these people are not asking for features that don’t exist. Rather, capabilities are being removed, and thus people are upset. Everyone has different needs and expectations of their devices.

 

[dominiongamma]

My advice: Stay away from Facebook. Protect your privacy.

Macrumors too ?

 

[gund1234]

With ads now showing up everywhere, even in paid services, it’s only a matter of time before Apple does on the Watch what they did on the phone and decide that they would actually like to push ads to users as well so maybe it is actually ok for third parties to use push for ads.

Where in iPhone do you see adds ?
i have seen adds in App store promoting Apps, other than this i haven't seen any adds.

 

[gund1234]

Apple Watch probably induces more anxiety regarding one's health than otherwise. I've seen people working in the back kitchen relying on Apple Watch to monitor their mood and heart rate as if monitoring their mood and heart rate can shield them from all the fumes and smoke they breathe in daily.

Fitness and sleep tracking are useful, but a BP monitor and a scale still beat Apple Watch if you already know you have some form of a heart condition. The supposed health benefits of the Apple Watch are way overblown by Apple.

Marketting

 

[HMI]

Facebook…..to be discontinued by end of may…. 😎🙏

 

[svish]

Disappointed to hear that the app will no longer be available for Apple watch.