In order to accomplish this ambitious endeavor, Facebook is looking at emerging economies as the key factor of its growth and expansion strategy. The new Facebook Messenger mobile app is one of the most significant steps that the company is taking as part of its quest to conquer the developing world.
Facebook is currently engaged in developing and testing its new messaging application on more than 7,000 different smart and not-so-smart mobile phones. This is the company's office library of mobile devices, many of them feature phones that are very popular in developing countries.
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| Image Credit: SimonQ錫濛譙 |
Versatile Dumb Phones
Many of the mobile devices in Facebook's office library are not smatphones powered by the iOS, BlackBerry, Windows, and Android operating systems. In countries like Costa Rica and Egypt, feature phones still rule.One of the most popular phones in the Central American nation is the candy bar Nokia 2730 Classic, a versatile workhorse that serves as a primary Internet connection for many people who can't afford or access broadband service at home, or who may not even own a desktop or laptop PC. This is just one type of user that the new Facebook Messenger is being developed for.
Cell phones like the Nokia 2730 Classic have everything that users in emerging economies need: SMS, 3G connectivity, Opera Mini, camera, radio, etc. These features are also useful for Facebook, but for the time being the social network is focusing will be on instant messaging; in fact, the company would like its new application to rival traditional SMS messaging.
No Facebook Account or Email Required
Since many feature phone users in developing countries don't have email addresses, Facebook is skipping this requirement for its mobile Messenger applications. A name and telephone number will be the only requirements, at least for now, and the mobile app will also allow users without Facebook accounts to be part of the messaging network.This means that a software developer in India will be able to chat and exchange messages with a certified professional resume writer in San Francisco, even if they are not Facebook users. Facebook's vast office library of mobile devices gives the company's development teams the opportunity to test apps like Facebook Messenger and avoid what is known as mobile fragmentation.
This means that Facebook's quality approach to mobile app development will prevent issues such as group chat options not working in some devices and not in others. This is very important for users in the emerging markets that Facebook is targeting.
DerekAbout the Guest Author:
Derek is an active technology blogger. He also enjoys doing social media for a online marketing company in New Jersey. The article above is for certified professional resume.