Facebook is overhauling its Messenger app on mobile to give us a simpler, more enjoyable user experience. The redesign does away with chatbots and games and makes Stories even more prominent.
Messenger has become somewhat of a hot mess over the years as Facebook crams more and more features into the app. And let’s face it, most of us use the app to chat and … nothing else.
Facebook has finally realized that, so it is streamlining the service on mobile with a brand-new design that’s cleaner and more lightweight.
The new Facebook Messenger on mobile
When you get the new look on your smartphone, you’ll notice Instant Games, the Discover section, and chat bots are all gone. Facebook is giving up on these things — at least on mobile — in favor of just two sections.
There’s Chats and People, each of which is accessible by tapping the dedicated tab at the bottom of the app. Chats is pretty self-explanatory; it’s where you’ll find all your existing conversations with Facebook friends.
The People section is divided into two. There’s a place where you’ll find Stories, with big squares dedicated to friends who have posted recent updates, and a place where you’ll see all contacts who are active.
That’s it for the new Messenger app.
What happens to everything else?
The new design is great for the majority, who use Messenger almost exclusively for chatting and occasionally viewing some Stories. However, it won’t go down well with the few who are playing Instant Games on a regular basis.
Instant Games are all but disappearing on mobile. They’re not being moved to the main Facebook app — they’re being dropped altogether. So, if you want to continue playing, you’ll need to use a web browser.
It’s not yet clear when the new Messenger design will be available to everyone, but like all Facebook changes, it will likely roll out slowly. We’ll be sure to update you when it starts expanding its reach.
Via: TechCrunch
