You'll no longer need two Facebook apps on your Samsung phone

The messaging component of Facebook spun off the mobile app and became an independent app called Messenger years ago. Since then, most Facebook users on mobile devices have to use both of these apps, but Meta — the company that owns Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram) — wants to change things back to how they were.

If you are using both Facebook and Messenger on your Samsung Galaxy mobile device, you may soon be able to message people directly from the Facebook app, just like it used to work many years ago. Meta announced this week that it is “testing the ability for people to access their Messenger inbox within the Facebook app.”

Meta revealed that it wants to expand this testing soon but didn't reveal any dates or explain how this new feature might work. For example, it's unclear if smartphone users, Samsung or otherwise, will have to keep the Messenger app on their devices for this feature to work inside the Facebook app. Perhaps they can abandon the Messenger app entirely if they want to, or maybe the messaging function inside the Facebook app will be missing some features that will remain exclusive to the dedicated Messenger app.

Neither Facebook nor Messenger is available on the Samsung Galaxy Store, but Galaxy device users can download the two apps from the Google Play Store. Again, whether or not the Messenger app will be removed from the store once Facebook gets the inbox feature is to be determined.

Mihai Matei - Senior Editor

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First Samsung device: SGH-A800

Mihai is a blogger and column writer at SamMobile. His first Samsung phone was an A800 which took a lot of beating, and a part of him still misses the novelty of the clamshell design. In his free time, he enjoys watching shows, documentaries, and stand-up comedy; listening to music, taking walks, and occasionally playing old(er) video games.

Via APK General Phone Tablet Facebook