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Johannesburg - Following on from the launch of WhatsApp for web browsers, Facebook’s Messenger app is now also available as a stand-alone service on desktop and laptop computers.
In January, mobile app WhatsApp introduced a web interface for its instant messaging application for Google’s Chrome browser.
And Facebook, which owns WhatsApp, has introduced a similar offering for its Messenger service but packed with more features.
While WhatsApp for web browsers just has an instant messaging feature, Facebook’s Messenger service offers voice and video calling features in addition to messages. The new Messenger web interface service will appeal to users who want to solely focus on messaging without seeing status updates in the main Facebook website.
Facebook Messenger is different from WhatsApp for the web in that it is also available on all browsers - the Fin24 team, for example, tested the service on Mozilla Firefox.
Logging into Facebook’s web interface for Messenger is also easier than that of WhatsApp’s web interface.
WhatsApp for the web requires that users pair their devices to the browser offering using a QR code. When using the WhatsApp for web service, users are also required to have their phones switched on and connected to a data service.
Facebook’s Messenger, though, only requires that users be logged into their Facebook account to gain immediate access to the offering.
Facebook’s Messenger app for mobile devices has been available on stores such as Google Play and Apple’s App Store. Facebook has previously received criticism for spinning out its Messenger app from the main Facebook mobile app as well.
