Facebook Messenger gets “M” assistant
Facebook Messenger has released a new
assistant called “Messenger M”. We’re actually quite glad it was not named “M
assistant. But anyway, the premise of M is: you can receive suggestions to take
actions (right from the message screen) based on the context of your
conversation. All this sounds quite familiar… is starts with “Google” and ends
with “Assistant”.
No, no, M is not a fully-fledged smartphone
assistant. It’s more like Google Assistant’s debut in Google Allo when it first
came out (The major difference is that Facebook Messenger already has 1 billion
monthly active users). M can offer suggestions via a pop-up bubble that can
send money to your friends, request a car with ride-share apps, and coordinate
plans with friends.
The best example of this is: when your friend
asks “Where are you?”, M will suggest that you share your location with them.
Tap on the suggestion bubble, and you don’t have to dig through chat menus to
temporarily share your pin-drop. You can also tap and hold on the suggested
bubble for even more suggestions. Swiping it to the side will dismiss the
suggestion.
Facebook has actually been testing a couple
of these features for a while. Most notably, the ride-sharing suggestion has
been active anytime you mention a cab, a new address, or mention needing a
ride.
Starting today, the following core features
will be available on Messenger M:
- Sticker suggestions
- Requesting or sending money
- Location sharing
- Making plans with a friend (sets a reminder for recipients of the chat)
- making polls in group chats
- Requesting a ride from Uber or Lyft
Currently, Messenger M is now rolling out to
all iOS and Android users in the United States. Those of you who may find
yourself outside the US will see the update “eventually” roll out. Facebook
says we should expect to see more AI-powered features that enhance the overall
experience.
If you’re not crazy about any of the M
features, you can easily mute the assistant in M’s settings.
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