Facebook has taken a big step forward in integrating the chat system of Instagram and Facebook Messenger, allowing select users on Messenger to exchange messages on Instagram, and vice versa, even if we have only one of these two apps on our smartphone.
This feature was already launched in mid-September within Facebook Business Suite, the new unique app for business profiles. And now it’s time to make it available to ordinary users as well.
Apart from this chat system integration, Instagram is also getting a major overhaul in the chats, which will be expanded with features taken from Messenger.
It includes new pop-up message tools with selfie stickers, custom emojis, chat colors, new ways to block unwanted messages, and the introduction of Messenger’s Watch Together feature, which lets you watch videos with friends during a video call.
Although users can refuse the switch to cross-platform chats if they want, however, Facebook is betting on the presence of additional features to keep users on the various platforms.
Along with “cross-platform” support, with this Instagram-Messenger integration, users will be able to search for Instagram user profiles on Messenger, and vice versa without switching to the other application to do so. Also, in this case, it is an option that can be disabled.
At the moment, however, it is not yet clear when the new cross-platform features will reach all users on a massive scale. According to CNN , the feature is now being “tested in selected markets and will expand globally in the coming months.“