Apps have change into one of the crucial handy methods to immediately entry companies and simplify on a regular basis duties, all whereas acquiring a personalised expertise.
Nevertheless, as environment friendly as they’re, apps may also be expensive to take care of, and their profitability does not all the time justify ongoing assist.
For that reason, Fb has determined to discontinue considered one of its hottest apps after 5 years.
Fb’s dad or mum firm Meta is shutting down the Messenger desktop app for Mac and Home windows. Starting December 15, customers will not be capable of log into the standalone app and can as a substitute be redirected to the Fb on-line web site to proceed messaging.
On the day of the official shutdown, customers will obtain an in-app notification. Based on Fb’s assist tab, Mac customers can have 60 days to proceed utilizing the Messenger desktop app earlier than it’s totally retired. After that, entry shall be blocked.
These with Messenger-only accounts that do not have a Fb profile will be capable of use Messenger.com to log in and proceed chatting with out making a Fb account.
Meta encourages customers to delete the app as soon as it turns into inactive, since it should not be usable.
Meta to discontinue Fb’s Messenger desktop app.
Picture Supply: Shutterstock
Tips on how to protect Messenger’s chat historical past
To avoid wasting the Messenger’s chat historical past, customers should allow safe storage and arrange a PIN from the desktop app earlier than transitioning to the net model.
As soon as that is performed, all chat historical past will stay accessible on-line.
Tips on how to examine whether or not Messenger safe storage is enabled:
- Click on Settings above the profile photograph.
- Click on Privateness & Security.
- Click on Finish-to-Finish Encrypted Chats.
- Click on Message Storage.
- Guarantee Activate Safe Storage is activated.
Meta’s Messenger desktop app: historical past
The Messenger desktop app model was launched in 2020, through the top of the Covid pandemic, to provide customers a extra handy method to keep linked all through the interval of social distancing.
On the time, Meta reported a surge in exercise, with complete messaging rising greater than 50% in March 2020, whereas voice and video calls on Messenger and WhatsApp greater than doubled, particularly in international locations most affected by lockdowns.
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Consumer engagement throughout Meta’s platforms, together with feeds and tales, additionally spiked as individuals sought to remain in contact with family members. Nevertheless, Meta’s enterprise confronted challenges, since a lot of its companies weren’t straight monetized by greater engagement, and ad income declined in areas implementing strict pandemic measures.
Meta’s new enterprise technique
Most not too long ago, Meta’s second-quarter earnings for fiscal 2025 revealed that complete income elevated 22% yr over yr, every day energetic customers had been up 6% to almost 3.5 billion, and ad impressions rose 9%. But bills additionally climbed, rising 12% to $27.1 billion.
One fast-growing space for Meta is Synthetic Intelligence (AI). The corporate not too long ago launched Meta Superintelligence Labs, devoted to creating superior fashions and progressive merchandise equivalent to Llama 4.1 and 4.2.
“Meta’s vision is to bring personal superintelligence to everyone — so that people can direct it towards what they value in their own lives. We believe this has the potential to begin an exciting new era of individual empowerment,” mentioned Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg in an earnings name.
As a part of this superintelligence initiative, Meta is specializing in enterprise messaging and AI integration, testing merchandise in some markets that embed AI capabilities into Fb and Instagram adverts, in addition to straight into e-commerce platforms.
Whereas shutting down the Messenger desktop app could appear inconvenient, Meta’s resolution might streamline the person expertise. By consolidating messaging by the net model, customers achieve constant entry throughout desktop gadgets with no need to obtain or replace separate apps.
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