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The article claims that Facebook's messaging features are a failure. I disagree; they have massive potential. Facebook chat is the primary real time chat syste
by Pheter 15y ago
The article claims that Facebook's messaging features are a failure. I disagree; they have massive potential.
Facebook chat is the primary real time chat system that I use these days and has replaced MSN for me and my friends. I recently installed the Messenger app on my iPhone and it certainly has the potential to kill off whatsapp and similar apps due two reasons: all my contacts are already available, and that I can use either my laptop or phone, depending on whichever is available to me when I need to communicate.
Unfortunately I doubt that this potential will be realised. Why? Because I haven't seen Facebook advertise the app AT ALL. (I heard about the app through HN.) None of my friends are aware the app exists and it's such a shame. It wouldn't be hard for Facebook to push their chat service as an alternative to txt/bbm/whatsapp, they already have an ad network in place that they can use for free.
I really hope to see Facebook push their messaging service as a way to communicate not just when you are browsing facebook.com but instead as an alternative to text-based communication methods on phones.
- saraid216 15y ago> The article claims that Facebook's messaging features are a failure. I disagree; they have massive potential. Not realizing its massive potential is a failure.
- Pheter 15y agoTrue. I should have worded it differently, stating that it is possible for them to turn the situation around.
- anonymoushn 15y agoThe more established IM services like AIM, MSN, or Gtalk already let you chat on your phone or desktop (or on someone else's desktop, from a browser!). Facebook's chat is just a less reliable clone of many existing products. It gets even less reliable if you connect to it over XMPP.
- Pheter 15y agoReliability doesn't matter. What matters is who's using what. If all my friends are on AIM, then I'll be on AIM. But they're not, everyone's on Facebook, and uses txt/whatsapp/bbm when they're away from their computer. What I am saying is that I would like to see Facebook become the universal communication method between my friends and me.
- pestaa 15y agoBut when it does become the universal method, reliability starts to matter.
- Pheter 15y agoYou're right, I should have said that at the moment, reliability is not directly critical for the success of the service. However, I do not have any issues with the reliability of Facebook chat. Not to say that there are no issues, they just haven't affected me ...yet.