Facebook announced today that Facebook Messenger has 800 million monthly active users, but the American company also talked about how it thinks its platform for conversations and VoIP/video calls will evolve.
After forcing the entire user base of Facebook to install the Messenger application in order to benefit from the possibility of chatting with friends and initiating VoIP phone calls or video calls, Facebook explained how it sees the evolution of Messenger.
Facebook believes that Messenger will become a platform that companies will use to get in touch with customers with the idea of selling them products, or selling them a variety of other services, something that is already being tested by Facebook with a small group of people.
From the possibility of buying clothes or food to sending money or buying plane tickets, or getting help in connection with various problems of some products, those at Facebook have an extremely interesting vision regarding Messenger.
At Messenger we're thinking about how we can help you interact with businesses or services to buy items (and then buy more again), order rides, purchase airline tickets, and talk to customer service in truly frictionless and delightful ways. It is so much easier to do everything in one place that has the context of your last interactions, as well as your identity — no need to ever login — rather than downloading apps that you'll never use again and jumping around from one app to another.
In the US, Facebook Messenger can order an Uber taxi, buy plane tickets or clothes, and Facebook works with various companies to create robots to help users with problems, or chat systems for technical or sales support.
Facebook wants Messenger to be at the center of the lives of all people on the planet, and if its plans unfold exactly as described here, then this will be achieved.
