At the moment, the functionality is only available in some countries. Unless you live in the United States, Canada, Peru or Venezuela you won’t be able to take advantage of it just yet.
Facebook software engineer Louis Boval introduced the option in a blog post. A new “Not on Facebook” link on the Messenger launch screen will allow new users to begin chatting with nothing more than their name, phone number and a profile picture.
The move will make Messenger more appealing to people who either don’t have or don’t want to have Facebook. It will also allow it to compete with alternative offerings such as Facebook’s own WhatsApp, which also only requires a phone number to sign up.
Facebook maintains that using a full account is still the best way to experience Messenger though. It says that there are “many benefits” of using a Facebook account, including easy chatting with contacts on the social network and access to messages across every platform and device.
Facebook began to much more aggressively promote Messenger three months ago when it made the former companion app into its own standalone platform. Messenger now supports its own apps and over 40 were launched in just a month, including a game.
Instead of a simple chat client, Messenger is now its own ecosystem designed to draw users available from rival platforms. A new video calling feature lets it appeal to Skype members while the new app system seems reminiscent in a way to what Kik was once known for.
By allowing users to sign up with just a mobile number, Facebook is simply continuing its quest to make Messenger into its own, standalone app that is not necessarily connected to the core social network. In doing so, it can expand its user base of 700 million even further.
