Facebook Messenger to Launch on Mac Later This Year

[neoelectronaut]

This feels like it's a decade too late. Yikes.

I personally gave up on Facebook about two years ago and deleted my account, but this announcement does remind me of the days where I used to plug a dozen different instant messaging clients into Adium back on my eMac G4. Those were the days.

 

[NickName99]

Facebook Messenger is a great option if you prefer having no privacy or security at all

 

[gaximus]

I remember when iChat could have multiple services running, Apple should just create a way to install plugin, and just use messages app. that why they handle privacy and we could have all messaging in one app. I'd love it for slack as well, although there are some features that would need to be added to Messages that I us

 

[squizzler]

Quit Facebook 2 years ago and you should too.

 

[xeux]

no thanks.

 

[calzon65]

I really wish Apple would release iMessage for Windows.

 

[Swazaloo]

This is one app I'll be avoiding on the Mac like the plague. Oh wait, this is the plague itself just disguised.

Unfortunately, Messenger is still the best way to communicate for people who use Android. I tried messaging my Android friends with SMS, but it's just not an option these days with all the photo and video sharing. Plus they don't always get SMS instantly. It's really nice knowing your message has at least been delivered, especially when in areas with spotty reception.

 

[maxfromdenmark]

Oh yes, I’m surely going to let Facebook dig I’m my iMac with no hassle at all.

 

[Swazaloo]

I really wish Apple would release iMessage for Windows.

Windows and Android. It will become the definitive way to communicate overnight.

 

[w5jck]

If you want to use Facebook's messaging, you can easily do so by running Facebook in a browser on a Mac. They have the Messenger app on iOS and it is useless. I have never seen it work correctly, and gave up and deleted it. I only use it from within a browser on a computer. And I rarely use it even there.

Yes I know Facebook sux and there should be better alternatives, blah, blah, effing blah, blah... But there are no current alternatives for my age group, nor do I think there will be in the near future. I would gladly switch to another social site, but try getting Baby Boomers (my generation) and GenXers to switch in any measurable numbers. We couldn't care less about Instagram, and the the host of other Millennial oriented sites. Bottom line, if you are my age and you want to keep up with family, friends, and old friends from childhood, there is Facebook, or their is silence...I don't like silence...

 

[Justin Cymbal]

This is a great feature for people who like to deactivate their Facebook account - as of right now if you deactivate your Facebook account you can’t use Facebook messenger on an iMac until you reactivate your Facebook account.

 

[HacKage]

Windows and Android. It will become the definitive way to communicate overnight.

This. If Apple opened it upto non Apple devices and charged the same 99p/yr that WhatsApp was before being bought over, it would take over communication across everything pretty much. Apple would bring in something like £1B a year just from the licenses.

 

[Infinite Vortex]

Hmmmm… I think I'd rather lick one of the left-over cooling towers at Chernobyl.

 

[Victor Mortimer]

Unfortunately, Messenger is still the best way to communicate for people who use Android. I tried messaging my Android friends with SMS, but it's just not an option these days with all the photo and video sharing. Plus they don't always get SMS instantly. It's really nice knowing your message has at least been delivered, especially when in areas with spotty reception.

It really isn't.

There are secure cross-platform messaging apps like Signal.

 

[iStorm]

I've never installed this on my iPhone because of the "we will be listening to you through your microphone, please sign here to agree" insanity. At least on my iMac I can keep my mic turned off. What privacy concerns would you all have beyond what FB can already do with their main app?

I don't understand your first sentence. Are you not able to deny the app's access to the microphone on your iPhone/iOS?

 

[lunarworks]

I'd rather use this app than use their terrible, terrible, terrible website, tbh.

 

[GadgetBen]

No thank you, I value my privacy.

 

[jlseattle]

Anyone stupid enough to use facebook gets what they deserve.

 

[Solomani]

Moar Facebook prease!

 

[mlenger]

...not a chance in hell

 

[iStorm]

The article doesn't mention how this would be installed... If it's installed through the App Store, wouldn't it be running in a sandbox, making it difficult (if not impossible) for FB to access other files or track what you're doing on your computer?

Now if it uses a standalone installer, that would be a different story...

 

[CJLevinsk22]

AB-SO-LUTE-LY NOT! After all the ugly things that have recently surfaced regarding Facebook's ethics, I can only assume this is spyware in disguise.

 

[magicschoolbus]

This is the equivalent to downloading Kazzaa on your computer in the 90's. You're pretty much giving it herpes.

 

[DotCom2]

I would NEVER contaminate my precious Mac with this!!!

 

[DreamsOfAppleBiz]

No thanks. Hard pass.

Facebook will launch a new desktop app for Messenger on both macOS and Windows later this year, according to a since-deleted blog post spotted by French blog iGeneration ahead of Facebook's annual F8 developer conference.

A screenshot of the Windows version of the app reveals that it will look rather similar to both Skype and Apple's own Messages app on Mac. Facebook said Messenger Desktop will have many of the same features as the mobile version of the app, including support for group video calls and collaboration.

Facebook is expected to unveil the desktop app alongside several other new Messenger features at its F8 keynote today at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time.

Article Link: Facebook Messenger to Launch on Mac Later This Year

 

[Rocko99991]

More tracking and data mining. Yay..
[doublepost=1556644217][/doublepost]Deleted FB account last month. Never felt better.