Facebook unleashes Messages

Dylan Bushell-Embling
16 Nov 2010
00:00

Facebook's new integrated messaging system has some pundits suggesting it could irrevocably change email, despite CEO Mark Zuckerberg's insistence that the service is “not an email killer.”

The company yesterday unveiled its upcoming Messages service, which allows both senders and receivers to decide which format - including SMS, IM, or email - to view conversations in.

The company is offering @facebook.com email addresses to every Facebook user which wants one. But “Messages is not email,” Facebook engineer Joel Seligstein said. “There are no subject lines, no cc, no bcc, and you can send a message by hitting the Enter key.”

The service has a “social inbox” which collates messages by friend accounts, and can be configured to bounce any emails not received from friends.

Seligstein said Messages will be rolled out to all Facebook users over the next few months.

Pre-release reports suggested that the Messaging service, codenamed Project Titan, was viewed internally as a challenge to webmail services such as Google's Gmail. But announcing the project, Zuckerberg said he didn't expect people to shut down their email accounts anytime soon.

Related content

Follow Telecom Asia Sport!
Comments
No Comments Yet! Be the first to share what you think!
This website uses cookies
This provides customers with a personalized experience and increases the efficiency of visiting the site, allowing us to provide the most efficient service. By using the website and accepting the terms of the policy, you consent to the use of cookies in accordance with the terms of this policy.