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For social butterflies who practically live on Facebook, it’s hard to understand why those who don’t wouldn’t want to use the network’s login for everything — and now, that even extends to Facebook Messenger.
Facebook has announced the ability to sign up for a Messenger account using only your name and phone number, ditching the requirement to actually have a Facebook account. The catch? It’s only for Android devices at the moment.
“Just install the app and tap Get Started to reach your contacts faster, start group conversations, share photos and more,” the company noted in a brief press release on Tuesday.
“An update to Messenger for Android is available today, and Messenger accounts will become available over the next few weeks.”
The move runs counter to the typical requirement of having an actual Facebook account in order to use the company’s Messenger app, but product director Peter Deng explained to The New York Times that it’s just a way to “make it easier for people to sign up” for the messaging service.
The move curiously comes at the same time that traditional SMS text messaging through carriers is turning 20 years old — technology that Deng says is “ripe for innovation.”
“It’s limited to 160 characters, and it’s not at all rich in its expression,” Deng elaborated. “People want to connect deeply with each other, and they don’t want to be constrained by various technical boundaries and decisions made 20 years ago.”
No word on whether or not the iOS and BlackBerry versions of Facebook Messenger will also shed the login requirement.
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