Facebook disabling messaging in main mobile app, forcing users to install Messenger

It appears that folks using Facebook’s Messenger service will soon have to download the standalone app, or look at other messaging options. Over the next few days, the social network is going to disable messaging from its main iPhone and Android apps.

The move is an attempt to push users over to Facebook Messenger, which the company says will have several benefits. For one it will enable it to streamline the mobile chat experience, and two, Facebook says users respond faster when using Messenger…

TechCrunch has a statement from Facebook:

“In the next few days, we’re continuing to notify more people that if they want to send and receive Facebook messages, they’ll need to download the Messenger app. As we’ve said, our goal is to focus development efforts on making Messenger the best mobile messaging experience possible and avoid the confusion of having separate Facebook mobile messaging experiences. Messenger is used by more than 200 million people every month, and we’ll keep working to make it an even more engaging way to connect with people.” 

Up until now, Facebook users could send and receive messages to other users from both the main Facebook app and Facebook Messenger. Now all you will see are notifications in the main app, which you can tap on to send you to the standalone Messenger app.

Facebook has already done this in certain parts of Europe, and it says it’s seen positive results thus far. And while it might make sense for the company from an operations standpoint, it’ll be interesting to see what its notoriously-outspoken-userbase thinks.

If you haven’t already downloaded them, you can find the main Facebook app in the App Store for free, and the Facebook Messenger app here for free. Messenger was recently updated with iPad support, instant video, Big Likes, and other improvements.

Google Play Store gets 50% more Downloads compared to Apple’s App Store!

Both the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store did great for the Q2 quarter, besting their results in Q1 by 60% and 45%, respectively.

That gave the Google Play Store, nearly 50% more downloads compared to the iOS App Store. It terms of revenue, however, it’s the Apple repository that still comes ahead.

In fact, it falls very far behind, as the App Store brings 80% more revenue to Apple, than the Play Store does for Google. The good news for Apple continue with a rise in revenue of 45% compared to the previous quarter – in US dollars.

For Google, there’s also an increase of 30%.

 

Untied States, Brazil and India are the top three countries that have downloaded most apps from the Play Store. India in particular, has surged jumping two places up compared to Q1, when it was fifth. Interestingly enough, the US doesn’t bring the most revenue for the Google Play Store. The top market where Android apps are sold most is Japan.

Following it are the United States, South Korea, Germany and Taiwan. Games are the most profitable category from the Play Store with Tools and Communications category close by. AppAnnie suggests that when the Android One program launches, Android will strengthen its presence in emerging markets.

WhatsApp reaches 500 Million users!

Popular IM service WhatsApp has reached the 500 million users milestone. And it’s not just the total number of users the service has but active users who use the service regularly.

This comes shortly after the company was acquired by Facebook, although WhatsApp had a healthy 450 million users at the time of acquisition. The majority of the growth comes from countries like Brazil, India, Mexico, and Russia, with India alone having 48 million WhatsApp users.

One of the reason the service is so popular in developing nations is sheer number of platforms the service is available on, which includes iOS, Android, Windows Phone, BlackBerry, Symbian and S40, unlike many other services that are only available on iOS and Android.

The service has remained unaltered since the Facebook acquisition and is expected to remain that way.

Facebook is buying WhatsApp for $19 billion!

Facebook has announced this afternoon that it has reached a deal to acquire WhatsApp, the makers of the popular cross-platform messaging app, for a staggering $16 billion. That’s $4 billion in cash and approximately $12 billion in Facebook shares.

The social network says that WhatsApp will continue to operate independently after the acquisition, but claims the deal with WhatsApp—who has nearly 500 million users—”accelerates Facebook’s ability to bring connectivity and utility to the world.”

From the press release:

“Facebook today announced that it has reached a definitive agreement to acquire WhatsApp, a rapidly growing cross-platform mobile messaging company, for a total of approximately $16 billion, including $4 billion in cash and approximately $12 billion worth of Facebook shares. The agreement also provides for an additional $3 billion in restricted stock units to be granted to WhatsApp’s founders and employees that will vest over four years subsequent to closing.

The acquisition supports Facebook and WhatsApp’s shared mission to bring more connectivity and utility to the world by delivering core internet services efficiently and affordably. The combination will help accelerate growth and user engagement across both companies. 

“WhatsApp is on a path to connect 1 billion people. The services that reach that milestone are all incredibly valuable,” said Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook founder and CEO. “I’ve known Jan for a long time and I’m excited to partner with him and his team to make the world more open and connected.”

The company also provided some WhatsApp growth stats:

• Over 450 million people using the service each month;
• 70% of those people active on a given day;
• Messaging volume approaching the entire global telecom SMS volume; and
• Continued strong growth, currently adding more than 1 million new registered users per day.

Additionally, Facebook says that it will be paying WhatsApp a $1 billion break-up fee if the acquisition some how falls through, and it will be hosting a conference call at 3PM PST today to discuss further details. You can listen in on that call by clicking here.

Admittedly, $16 billion (potentially $19 billion) sounds like a crazy amount for a messaging app—especially compared to the $3 billion that Facebook reportedly offered Snapchat last year. But not many services boast an active user base of half-a-billion.

It’ll be interesting to see what comes of this. If you want to see what WhatsApp is all about, you can find it in the App Store here.

WhatsApp iOS 7 update is out with new design, broadcast lists and more!

The highly anticipated iOS 7 update for WhatsApp finally landed in the App Store this afternoon. The update brings the iOS client for the popular messaging service to version 2.11.5, and includes an all new design, new features and various improvements.

One of the big new features in 2.11.5 is called broadcasts lists, and it allows you to send messages to many people simultaneously. So say for instance you have a list of your classmates or work colleagues, you can message them all at once instead of individually…

Here are the release notes for version 2.11.5:

– new iOS 7 User Interface

– broadcast lists: communicate with your classmates, work colleagues or just friends by messaging many people at once.

– improved share location: 3D map view, hide places, search places

– large thumbs: see more

– new notification alerts and sounds: WhatsApp Settings > Notifications > New Message.

– application will now use your device text size as configured in iOS Settings > General > Text Size

– new improved User Interface for managing your blocked contacts: WhatsApp Settings > Chat Settings > Blocked

– crop image before sending

Reminder: you can backup your WhatsApp conversations into iCloud. Simply visit WhatsApp Settings > Chat Settings > Chat Backup and tap on “Back Up Now”

The apps new design follows the same template as just about every other app that has been updated to match iOS 7′s aesthetics. There’s enough white space, flat graphics and blue accents to make all of the folks that don’t like Apple’s new design direction cringe.

But I happen to like the new design, and I’m really digging the UX improvements. There’s the new broadcast lists feature we already mentioned above, as well larger thumbnails, improved location sharing and blocking contacts is now much easier than before.

If you’re already a WhatsApp user, I feel like grabbing this update is a no-brainer. Just make sure, as the release notes caution, that you backup your conversations to iCloud before doing so. When you’re ready, you can findthe new WhatsApp in the App Store for free.