Facebook Messenger has a brand-new app for Mac

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Facebook-Messenger-Mac
It's finally here, almost a year after it was confirmed.
Photo: Mac Generation

A brand-new Facebook Messenger app has finally landed on Mac. It gives users the ability to more easily keep on top of their conversations across different devices, and it supports a whole host of useful Messenger features — including group video chat.

You might not be able to download it where you live just yet, however.

It’s always been possible to use Facebook Messenger in your browser on a desktop, but many would argue a native app delivers a greater user experience. They also allow for better, more reliable notifications, and save you from having to log in every time you load them up.

Facebook first teased its new Messenger app for macOS (and Windows) almost a year ago during its F8 conference. It promised at the time that it would debut by the end of last year, but of course, it didn’t meet that deadline. But the wait is over now … for some.

Get Facebook Messenger for macOS today

Messenger has finally landed on Mac. It provides access to all your conversations with Facebook friends, as well as features like voice calling and video chat. It also boasts a dark mode, though some users report that’s not working properly just yet.

The app was made using Electron, not Catalyst, which means it’s compatible with machines that are yet to be upgraded to Catalina. Electron makes it easier to take web apps that already exist and turn them into native applications that can be installed on your machine.

Before you rush off to download Messenger on your Mac from the Mac App Store, however, there is something you should be aware of. As things stand, it’s only available in a small number of markets, and that doesn’t include the U.S.

‘A small test’ for now

You should be able to find Messenger for macOS in the following countries:

  • Australia
  • France
  • Mexico
  • New Zealand
  • Poland

Facebook told TechCrunch it is “conducting a small test of the Messenger app for macOS in a couple of markets.” It does plan to expand the app later, but “we don’t have a date when it will be available as we’re still gathering feedback from our users.

That’s a shame, but it’s good to see Messenger for the desktop is finally on its way. Hopefully, Facebook won’t keep the rest of the world waiting too long for it. In the meantime, you can try out the lighter, faster version of Facebook Messenger for iOS.

Via: Mac Generation

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