Facebook Messenger to discontinue SMS support in September

Facebook Messenger is set to discontinue its SMS support in September. Users who rely on Messenger as their default SMS messaging app for Android will no longer be able to send or receive SMS messages from their cellular network through the app after September 28, 2023. The company advises that individuals can still use their cellular network to send and receive SMS messages and access their SMS message history via their phone's new default messaging app.

For those who don't choose a new default messaging app, their SMS messages will be directed to the default messaging app on their phone, such as the Android Messages app. This transition away from SMS support was initially announced in 2016. Facebook's parent company, Meta, recently introduced a real-time avatar call feature on Messenger, providing users with an alternative to showing their actual face during video calls.

In June, Meta also launched parental supervision features for Messenger, allowing parents in the US, the UK, and Canada to monitor their teenagers' Messenger usage, including time spent messaging and interaction details, while respecting user privacy by not granting access to the actual message content. This feature is expected to expand to more countries globally in the near future.

With Input from IANS