Facebook Launches New Unified Messaging System: Messages

Facebook announced the launch of "Messages," a
unified message platform that allows users to converse in real time from their mobile apps or via the web.

The simplified message system allows users to talk using their preferred medium, whether that be via SMS, chat,
email or Messages, by typing in their friend's name and pressing enter.
Recipients can receive the message through the medium they
choose.

"There are no subject lines, no cc, no bcc, and you can send
a message by hitting the Enter key," wrote Engineer Joel Seligstein on the
Facebook blog. "We wanted to make this more like a conversation."

Similar to the way many smartphones, such as iPhone or Blackberry
group text message conversations, Facebook "Messages" will keep all messages
between the user and a friend in one place, allowing users to view their entire
conversation with a single friend in one location.

"Messages" is meant to be a social service rather than a new
email service, according to Seligstein. Messages from
friends and friends of friends will be placed in the user's "Inbox," while all
other messages will be sent to an "Other" folder. Users will be able to move
messages from the "Other" folder to their "Inbox" so that all future messages
from that recipient will be sent to the Inbox. Users can also change their
privacy settings to limit contact to friends only.

In addition to "Messages," Facebook is now providing all
Facebook users with the option to create an @facebook.com email address so that
users can converse with Facebook friends regardless of whether they are on
Facebook.

500 million users worldwide have a Facebook profile and more
than 200 million are now using Facebook's mobile products and applications.

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