Facebook Messenger may get Snapchat-style ephemeral messaging feature

By Harish Jonnalagadda
published

Facebook has started trialing self-destructing messages on its Messenger app, with the feature giving users the ability to send messages that vanish after one hour. Available to a few users in France, the feature can be enabled or disabled through an hourglass icon in the app.

According to a Facebook spokeswoman in a statement to BuzzFeed:

We're excited to announce the latest in an engaging line of optional product features geared towards making Messenger the best way to communicate with the people that matter most. Starting today, we're conducting a small test in France of a feature that allows people to send messages that disappear an hour after they're sent. Disappearing messages gives people another fun option to choose from when they communicate on Messenger. We look forward to hearing people's feedback as they give it a try.

Facebook Messenger

This is Facebook's latest attempt to compete with Snapchat following a failed bid by the social network to acquire the messaging service for $3 billion. In 2012, Facebook launched Poke — a service that mimicked the functionality of Snapchat — but the service ultimately failed to gain mainstream attention and was shut down. The social network also came up with Slingshot, an ephemeral photo-sharing service that requires you to send an image back to the sender to view an incoming message.

Facebook did not mention when the feature will roll out to all 700 million Messenger users. Would you guys like to see ephemeral texts come to Messenger?

Source: BuzzFeed

Harish Jonnalagadda
Harish Jonnalagadda
Senior Editor - Asia

Harish Jonnalagadda is a Senior Editor overseeing Asia for Android Central, Windows Central's sister site. When not reviewing phones, he's testing PC hardware, including video cards, motherboards, gaming accessories, and keyboards.

88 Comments
  • This design in the picture looks so much better than the one we have now for Windows Phone.
  • Its the UI of the android app
  • These bubbles are *puke* yuck! They remind me of Symbian.
    No thank you.
    I prefer the minimal design on wp
  • The "ugly bubbles" look a lot like Windows 10's toggle switch but that none of my business.
  • Yeah, let's compare toggles to speech bubbles.
  • All I'm saying is same ugly shape.. I prefer my contact images and toggle switches be right angled, not rounded..
  • I dont like the circular pics either. It doesnt fit ok with the square/rectangular tile shapes anyway
  • But it WONT come to wp, same like voice call via messenger, etc
  • I agree.
  • Yay. Hello facebook, and good riddance snapchat
  • No I will pass
  • Available on Windows 2 years from now
  • Yesss
  • 2 years is better than not at all...see snapchat ;)
  • snapchat will come to Windows Phone just before SNAPCHAT CEO goes bankrupt and shuts down his company
  • Definitely would like that feature hope it makes it to WP.
  • They should update the app, or make a new one, i dont remember the app being updated in the store since its launch.
  • It's been updated quite a lot. Got updated a few days ago.
  • But it still drains battery
    ..
  • That happens in all platforms, not only on WP.
  • That's because you're constantly using the GPS. Turn it off to gain some battery life.
  • It was announced on Oct 6 that Facebook was making new universal apps for Facebook and Messenger.
  • They should add new features like uploading saved videos and bring it on par with other OSs
  • I don't think they will bring this feature to our dead platform.
  • It was announced on Oct 6 that facebook was making new universal apps for FB and Messenger. Silly!
  • your dead not the platform...
  • yep I think @Akssingh 's spirit is messaging here. He's already dead
  • Your mind is dead. Windows is alive and kicking.
  • I really wish people would use this term properly. If the platform was dead, we wouldn't be using it and MS wouldn't be supporting and developing for it. With everything they've put into it, it may remain small for a while, but it won't die off easily, and it shouldn't. We, meaning consumers, need at least a viable 3rd option to Android or iPhone.
  • While I actually like the idea of Snapchat, I cannot wait for it to die, as it is a terrible company, led by terrible people
  • Why all the hate for?
  • Snapchat CEO doesn't allow any Windows apps. He's a doucebag and an idiot and we don't want him here. ​He should go bankrupt, shut down his company, and go to a retirement home soon
  • I think it's available from later 2017☺
  • Facebook promoting their new chat system that allows you to hide your affairs by automatically deleting your messages in case you forget to!
  • Just take a screenshot to keep it.
  • Then you wouldn't need to delete it in the first place though.
  • ya...your girlfriend should not know about your wife and both should not know about your boyfriend!!!!!
  • So basically if the person is offline, and you send them a message, and they come online 2 hours later they won't see it even existed? If that's the case, very poor design
  • No!
    When they see it. They will be available for them to see it again for one hour.
  • Facebook chat already have the ability to see whether a message is seen or not.Obvious solution to set the timer to start when the message is first seen.
  • However that's not what was communicated, hence the confusion.
  • Why not add timer to the message? Like in BBM? You can set the time for how long the reader can see the message!
  • This can thrive o windows phone since there is no Snapchat on WP.. Only if they bring it here .. It's a possibility..
  • Always welcomed to this platform. doubt it will come though lol
  • It was announced on Oct 6 that facebook was making new universal apps for FB and Messenger
  • It as been anounced several other things through out the years and we are still waiting. Facebook related apps sucks in wp and w10m
  • You can't ay they suck in windows 10 since it is the windows phone 8 app. Now when the win 10 version is released then that will be a fair assessment.
  • Everything can get announced. But when it comes to windows phone things become possible very rarely and most of the time it doesn't.
  • I never understood snapchat and why it's such a popular service and never will. This option won't have any value to me.
  • Cause u show your d, and girls boobs
  • Easy... sexting.
  • Actually, no. That's not true and I know you want to believe that to make you feel better that's its on on WP but, you are wrong. EVERYONE at my work uses it...and they aren't all sexting each other. They show me their snaps all the time. They mostly snapchat random pictures of what they are doing, or funny drawings on other peoples faces, or hilarious things they saw on the way to work, what they are doing on the weekend etc..
  • Everyone that i know did not bother about snapchat..
  • Its the easiest way to sext for people. On tinder, it's the first thing I am asked for and second being kik. Pretty sure they arent going to show you every snap they send so your point is flawed.
  • Exactly my thoughts. Either whether it's all for sexting or for fooling around, I don't have any use for Snapchat or this feature.
  • Maybe you don't, however alot of teens do and it's not used for sexting either as much many of you would like to believe.
  • I use it just to see American 17-18 girls showing their boobs if I send them my d. That's why they have it. That's why they have it on the instagram profiles.
  • Voice and video call isn't even available yet, so this will take how many years?
  • Snapchat is useless
  • its more like teen sexchat...
  • How many people use Facebook messenger on windows phone only??
  • Archive everything, so no use for me.
  • Im impressed with the late night hours of reporting news. Get some sleep WC.. lol.. Oh this news is blah to me. Like others say now you can just be preverted and cheat on your wife/gf/bf easier on fb .. Lol..
  • I see many apps coming, as well as many saying they will come. But Windows Central, when is your new app coming?
  • What's ever been the point of this ephemeral chat thing? Sexting? I don't have an use for this. I get that the kids love Snapchat but I've yet to know what's so special about it.
  • Great feature, should kill off Snapchat and then people can stop complaining about the lack of Snapchat on Windows Phone and we can all get on with our lives.
  • Yea, at least as a compensation for the lack of snap chat
  • Yeah sure but let's get everything that's missing sorted first.
  • Still waiting for the redesigned Facebook Messenger app for W10
  • Meee 2
  • Did... WC just source Buzzfeed? I'm done.
  • The messenger app itself is a fail. Text integration with FB messages was one of the best features wp has ever had. Stupid to get rid of it.
  • The hub model went away because the way it was implemented meant o/s level updates when facebook for instance made changes to their API or back end. The social extensibility framework was a good idea in theory whereas in reality it became an app launcher. They need to combine the hub model with app tie-ins. However they (facebook et al) want users to use their apps.
  • Or basic features lacking like the HD voice calls and the damn basic sign off button
  • Yup Ur Absolutely ri8
  • This strategy actually might work, rather than creating a new app, add it to then one that millions of people already use. Now the real questions are: how long until we WM users get it? Will we be forced to add anybody we want to use this feature with to our friends list? I have a general rule not to add people I don't known in real life and nobody that I have a professional, working relationship with.
  • I'd love it just to witness snapchat become history. Snapchat needs competition. I personally never understood or have any interests in snapchat but they never released a windows app and there are people that like this feature and an alternative would be great.
  • I hope they to and kill off Snapchat
  • I doubt it.. There are people who hate Facebook, they won't go to Messenger if Snapchat's available,, but Windows Phone using Facebook haters don't have that luxury.   Maybe this competition would convince Snapchat to create a Windows 10 universal app.. Maybe not..
  • Good. Snapchat as a company embodies everything bad in today's entrepreneurship.
  • Agreed. Doesn't help they hate Microsoft.
  • I hope get sign off button and HD calls like the android version,I have posted in the mark zuckeberg the deficiencies of his software in Windows phone
  • Messenger will not install on my 640xl with the latest build of WM10. Facebook shows that I have messages but directs me to download Messenger to read them.
  • We need a huge update for messenger, it feels super outdated compared to the IOS and android version. Gifs sent to me are shown as pics. How lame guys.
  • This'll be the death of Snapchat and the making of W10 if, and it's a big if, Microsoft play it right.
    Snapchat only serve to emphasise the app gap to the prepubescent population that adores it. Facebook is too accessible for anyone to ignore. I'm surprised it's not WhatsApp that Facebook are adding this to.
  • Fuckers still no voice or video calling.
  • the messages may disappear from the users view, but I doubt Facebook is deleting them.
  • Snapchat is a scumbag. They took down 6snap and yet, they didn't make an official app for Windows Phone.