Yes, Messenger is still available as part of the Facebook platform in 2023. Messenger allows Facebook users to send messages, photos, videos, audio recordings, and more to friends and connections on Facebook. It offers features like group chats, video calling, payments, and bots/automation. Messenger remains one of the most widely used messaging platforms globally.
A Brief History of Facebook Messenger
Facebook launched in 2004 as a social networking site for college students. In 2011, Facebook introduced Facebook Messenger as its own standalone mobile app. Prior to this, messaging was only available within the main Facebook app. Removing messaging to its own dedicated app provided more room for innovation and allowed Facebook to focus the messaging experience on speed and reliability.
Here is a brief timeline of major milestones for Facebook Messenger:
- 2011 – Facebook Messenger launches as mobile app
- 2012 – Messenger launches on iOS, Android, Blackberry, etc.
- 2013 – Voice calling feature added
- 2014 – Major redesign on iOS and Android
- 2015 – Video calling feature added
- 2016 – Messenger becomes its own standalone platform
- 2018 – Group video chatting for up to 50 people added
- 2020 – Messenger Rooms launched for video calls with up to 50 people
As of 2023, Facebook reports that Messenger has over 1.3 billion monthly active users worldwide. It has become deeply integrated into the Facebook experience while also evolving into a robust standalone messaging platform.
Messenger’s Current Features
Messenger supports the following core features:
- Text chat – Send text messages, photos, videos, audio clips, GIFs, stickers, etc.
- Group chats – Chat with up to 256 people in a group conversation.
- Video and voice calls – Make video or audio calls to individuals and groups.
- Stories – Share disappearing photo/video stories.
- Games – Play lightweight games with friends.
- Payments – Send/receive money securely.
- Bots and automation – Integrate with chatbots and AI.
- Business tools – Manage customer communication at scale.
Messenger is available as a mobile app for iOS and Android devices as well as a web browser version. Users can access Messenger directly or through integration with Facebook Pages and the main Facebook app. It supports notifications, offline messages, emojis, GIFs, stickers, AR filters, dark mode, chat colors, reactions, and more.
Messenger’s Future Direction
Facebook sees Messenger as a pivotal part of its future. Here are some key ways Facebook is evolving Messenger:
- Deeper integration with business tools – Allowing businesses, brands, and organizations to connect with customers.
- Emerging features like Rooms – Shared video spaces forhangouts and events.
- Exploring commerce options – Enabling payments, shopping, customer support.
- Leveraging AI – Powering smart replies, bots, suggested actions.
- Shared experiences – Co-watching videos, playing games, etc.
Facebook is also working to integrate Messenger, along with WhatsApp and Instagram Direct, into a unified messaging platform. Users would be able to message across apps. Progress has been made but full integration is still likely years away.
Messenger Usage Statistics
Here are some key Messenger usage statistics as of 2023:
| Metric | Statistic |
|---|---|
| Monthly active users | Over 1.3 billion worldwide |
| Daily active users | Over 1 billion |
| Messages sent per day | 100+ billion |
| Group video calls daily | Over 150 million |
| Voice/video calls daily | Over 150 million minutes |
This makes Messenger one of the most actively used messaging platforms worldwide, alongside WhatsApp, WeChat, Telegram, Signal and others. It has achieved impressive scale and retention across both developed and emerging markets.
Comparisons to WhatsApp
As Facebook’s two primary messaging apps, Messenger and WhatsApp are often compared:
| Messenger | ||
|---|---|---|
| Monthly active users | 1.3 billion | 2 billion |
| Ownership | ||
| Launch date | 2011 | 2009 |
| Type | Messenger platform | Messaging app |
| Focus | Casual messaging, businesses | Private messaging |
The key differences are:
- WhatsApp has more active users overall but Messenger still reaches a very large global audience.
- While both owned by Facebook, WhatsApp operates more independently while Messenger is woven into Facebook’s ecosystem.
- Messenger offers more features oriented around businesses, commerce, bots, and integrations.
- WhatsApp is viewed as more private and secure while Messenger is focused on social sharing.
Conclusion
In summary, Messenger continues to thrive in 2023 as a pivotal part of Facebook’s overall strategy. It enables over 1 billion people worldwide to connect via messaging, voice, and video each month. Messenger intertwines with Facebook’s core app but has also emerged as a fully capable messaging platform itself.
Facebook will likely aim to expand Messenger’s commercial capabilities and integrate it deeper with WhatsApp and Instagram Direct. But the core messaging functionality that billions have come to depend on will remain intact. So for the foreseeable future, Messenger plans to stay firmly planted within Facebook’s universe of apps.