Facebook Messenger Brings Text Messaging, Picture Sharing, and Location Alerts to iOS and Android Users
Facebook's new Messenger app is designed to be platform agnostic. Messages can be pushed to users in three different ways: through traditional Facebook chat alerts and messages, through SMS alerts, and through push notifications to both the iPhone/iPod touch and Android apps, the latter joining the ranks of apps using Google's C2DM (cloud to device messaging) service. Notifications will be pushed to any devices logged in to Facebook Messenger, even if multiple devices are logged in at one time.
With Facebook accounts being so ubiquitous, and the built-in support for messaging all Facebook friends no matter where they're accessing Facebook or what mobile OS they are using, this app might supplant many people's texting plans. That would be the real threat - if Facebook could find a way to take on and take over one of the most ubiquitous messaging protocols. As well, the ability to bring together users on different platforms could be a threat to Apple's iMessage, with it being limited to iOS users. Facebook Messenger is now available for free from the App Store and Android Market.