Facebook may soon let you message from status box; aims to compete with Hangouts
The new messaging option is expected to increase messaging rates on the social network.
Facebook has been experimenting with the messaging section for quite some time. The company has already confirmed testing a system of paying to message non-friends on the social network. And now reports suggest the company is working on a new system that allows users to send private messages directly from the status box rather sending through the messaging panel.
According to a TechCrunch report, Facebook’s new messaging feature is expected to be tested with a small percentage of users later this year. The new feature is likely to fall in line with the recent Facebook Chat Heads feature that allows users to message from any screen within the Facebook mobile app.
Facebook’s new messaging option is also expected to help amp up messaging rates on the social network. The company also plans to integrate messaging into the status update box and photo uploading box that appears on the top of the homepage. It will allow users to switch between posting to the newsfeed and start a private communication with select friends.
Facebook has reportedly added a stripped border to the status composer when users select “Only Me”, which is believed to be related with rumoured private messaging option.
The rumoured feature, however, seems to be borrowed from Google’s new cross-platform messaging service Hangouts, which allows users of Gmail and Google chat to each other across desktops as well mobile devices. Moreover, Hangouts allows users to share photos, emojis to contacts (with an offline support as well) and make video calls up to 10 friends. Read Google I/O 2013 Day 1: All you need to know
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