Facebook begins wider rollout of redesigned Messenger app

Facebook announced the changes back in May 2018, and it has begun coming to users bit by bit since October. But now, the update seems to be getting a wider release. The listings on both App Store and Google Play Store show the redesigned interface. But the Messenger team has cautioned that it might take a while for the update to reach everyone. Facebook wanted to create a simpler interface for users to put messaging front and center in the app. The redesign consolidates the nine tabs into three and brings a bit more whitespace into the interface. The different features within chat windows still exist in the app but are now hidden behind a new four-dot icon.

Source: The Verge

Facebook begins public testing of Messenger’s dark mode feature

If you’re fond of sending out messages in the middle of the night, you’ll probably welcome this update from Facebook. The company has finally started testing dark mode for its Messenger app. Web app developer Jane Wong reveals on Twitter, “Facebook Messenger, seemingly due to prolonged external nagging, has started public testing Dark Mode in certain countries. They have put up a fair warning that Dark Mode isn't everywhere yet so don't complain when some UI burns your eyes off.” There isn’t a specific timeline yet when it’ll be coming out but you can now see how it’s going to look like if you do get the feature and decide to use it. Having a dark mode option works on the idea that this limits screen glare and protects your peepers from effects of blue light when you use your phone in the dark or in the middle of the night.

Facebook might soon let you watch videos with someone else on Messenger

Earlier this year, Facebook launched at feature that let people in Facebook Group’s watch videos in sync together. It seems this might be something that’s coming to Messenger. Developer Ananay Arora discovered a new code added to Messenger that suggests there will be a “Watch Videos Together” feature on the messaging app. It’ll work similar to Watch Party in that you can drop a video in a thread, ping the person or group thread so you can all watch at the same time. It’s presumed this will work with videos hosted on Facebook, which would make sense but could also mean you can’t do remote Netflix marathons on this. Facebook told TechCrunch this is an internal test so don’t expect to see it anytime soon. But since it’s something that already exists in another part of Facebook.

Facebook Messenger begins rollout of its unsend feature to mobile users

After testing out the much requested unsend option for Facebook’s default messaging app, the feature is now rolling out to some markets—namely Poland, Bolivia, Colombia, and Lithuania—with plans to bring it to more markets as soon as possible. It’s officially being called “Remove for Everyone” and it’s available for both iOS and Android versions of Facebook Messenger app. Messages can be removed from a recipient’s inbox within the first 10 minutes after it’s been delivered. (No, it won’t work with old messages sent years ago.) And when you do choose to remove a message, a tombstone will be kept in its place to let everyone in the thread know you deleted a message. Facebook will also retain the messages for a few minutes after they are unsent to make sure you can still report it. The social network thinks this is one way to dissuade bullies from using the feature to harass other users.

Once the feature goes live here, you can unsend a message by tapping and holding on it. As long as you’re within the 10-second timeframe, you’ll see the options Remove for Everyone and Remove for You. If you decide to remove it for all users, you’ll get a pop-up that’ll alert you that the message will be permanently removed but can still be reported. Other unsend features are also reportedly being developed for Messenger, including being able to let a thread expire after a certain amount of time with all the messages being erased as well as being able to set individual messages to expire in a thread after a set time.

Source: BGR