Can Facebook's Messenger for Android Be A Whatsapp Killer?

Facebook’s Messenger app for Android smart phone users will now allow users sign up without a Facebook account for the Facebook messenger service.

Previously, to log into Facebook Messenger, users had to sign in via their Facebook account to chat with other Facebook users. But now users can sign up for the instant chat service with just their name and phone number. They can send messages to their phone contacts instantly.

Facebook is essentially creating a separate registration process focused on messaging.

Interestingly, the service has only been released on Messenger for Android; starting with India, Australia, Indonesia, Venezuela and South Africa, with other countries to follow in the near future.

The Messenger is free to download and it uses the phone’s existing data plan.

Even after being a late entrant, will it pose a threat to other messengers?

As of now, the roll-out of the new app is limited to only Android users in few countries. Apple iOS, Blackberry and Windows Phone users should expect the new version of Messenger gradually. If Facebook launches this version of Messenger on other platforms,  then it might see itself becoming the most popular mobile IM app.

It would be interesting to see if it’s able to make the users of WhatsApp, ChatON, Viber switch to Facebook Messenger.

The application already has 50 million+ downloads in the Play Store.

Just like WhatsApp, it has social messaging features allowing users to send text messages and images, group conversations, reaching your friends on mobile and desktop, displaying locations, etc.

The application scans and syncs with your contact list on the phone and integrates them with your Facebook friend list. Your messages will be delivered to the user irrespective of whether he/she has messenger installed.

Thus, you can get in touch people who may be in your phone book but not on your Facebook friends list and vice versa, making it easy to  find contacts. Its integration with Facebook  is its biggest edge over WhatsApp.

Although Whats app records 10 billion messages per day, Facebook too might not want to stop with just one billion users. It is figuring out ways to tap into the next Billion user base! This shows the promising future of  messaging service and a imaginable potential for Facebook's expansion!