Facebook opening its Messenger to third-party app developers

Facebook isn't getting rid of the spinoff messaging app. On the contrary, it is adding more reasons for you to download the software.

 

Facebook plans to open its Messenger to third-party apps during its upcoming F8 Developer Conference in San Francisco, tech site Mashable reported.

 

Quoting a person familiar with the matter, Mashable said up to 20 third-party services are to work on top of Messenger once the integration starts.

 

"It's not yet clear who the early partners are or what the integration will look like, but Facebook will likely expand the capability to more developers following the initial rollout," it added.

 

Mashable said opening Messenger to third-party developers could make it a platform of its own instead of just a supplement.

 

Messenger was launched in 2011 as a standalone app, and Facebook angered many in 2014 when it coursed all mobile messages to the app.

 

Despite the criticisms, Facebook has added new features to Messenger, the latest of which is the ability to make payments to Facebook friends.  — Joel Locsin/ELR,GMA News