Word is that Facebook is planning to launch instant messaging really soon. Well, thanks to someone who captured the video below, that has been confirmed. Facebook is going to launch instant messaging soon which is really powerful.
Google did a really great job of integrating GMail and Google Talk, which I think helped the two take off much faster as the services complimented each other, email and IM. Now most of us have more Facebook friends than GMail contacts, which means there is going to be a whole lot more chatting on Facebook.
I have been thinking about Facebook’s instant messaging move and here are some of my thoughts:
- Support on Facebook Mobile
If Facebook creates a mobile application or enables it on mobile devices, we will definitely see it compete with a lot of the mobile instant messaging platforms. In our case particularly MXit. Facebook has the numbers to be considered a big threat! - Jabber / API Support
If Facebook allows developers to tap into the instant messaging service via Jabber or API, we are going to see Facebook applications taken to a whole new level. Marketers will also slowly start trying to move their messages across this platform, but it will be really great and bold if Facebook open up the instant messaging platform. It will also allow for integration between other platforms such Google Talk and even Mxit.
Tags: Facebook, social networking
I actually emailed the FB admins when i first joined (over a year ago) and pointed out that the killer app was extending into the IM space. They said “interesting idea” and seem to have put it in the pile of interesting ideas. FB could make a killer platform by bringing wall/status/message integration to IM.
That’s pretty damn cool! I reckon it’ll be massive! But, again still suffers the issue of people not having access to Facebook in some corporate environments. In that case, they’ll probably use Messenger/GTalk
@Darb I agree. Facebook has the numbers and functionality to pull things of correctly.
@Kevin Thats why Jabber support would be perfect so that you can assign a GTalk account to your FB IM and chat to your friends through GTalk.
Apparently the instant messaging service will be based on XMPP just like Jabber and Google Talk so that’s the main excitement for me. Yet more support for open standards, and hopefully the ability to integrate between all three of these seamlessly. Then we cover all the services with XMPP gateways as well, as you said with MXit and also Fring and Yeigo.
Mmm, sorry should have checked out the video link first, it’s disappointing to hear that they’re still “debating” and that it won’t be part of the initial launch, earlier word made it sound like that would be a given. Oh well, now we just have to wait…
I’ve been thinking for a while now that the remaining killer app for Facebook is in the IM space (and not the Zombie super-poke honesty box as some have argued). The ability to talk instantly to your online friends, and to either do that on your facebook page or over Jabber in an open-source client like Adium, would take FB to a whole new level of utility and immediacy.