Facebook introduces Messenger Platform and Businesses on Messenger

At its F8 developer conference, Facebook introduced a new Messenger platform and Businesses for Messenger.

Messenger Platform will allow its 600 million users to create and share content with third party tools. Users will be able to install apps and make purchases inside Messenger. People can enhance their conversations with GIFs, photos, videos, audio clips and more with more than 40 new apps.

The app's content can be shared via private and group messages so that users can give their feedback to developers, so they can improve. The apps can be discovered without leaving the Messenger by tapping install when a friend sends a message from a Messenger platform. After that users will have to tap the reply button to switch to the app to find the right response. 

Some Messenger integration will also be featured directly in the Messenger via a new tab in Messenger conversation. The tab provides shortcut to app that has already been installed as well as new apps they are interested in trying.

Facebook also previewed Businesses for Messenger. Businesses on messengers enables users to have direct contact with the e-commerce websites. 

Users will receive updates on order confirmations, shipping status and will be able to take basic actions like modifying, tracking or returning an order. Users can also ask question, make requests and get responses from the e-commerce site. The whole interaction between the user and the business will take place in single unified thread.

Facebook initially will be partnering with Everlane and Zulily to provide this service and it is also working with Zendesk to support the live chat experience.

Facebook says that the Messenger platform will be available via an updated Messenger app for Android and iOS starting today. The Businesses for Messenger will launch in the coming weeks.

Kaiser Bey

Kaiser is a tech enthusiast who likes to write, read and talk about tech. He dreams of going to Mars and never come back. We hope that you find his posts on AndroGuider helpful and informative