Okay, the intense competition between instant messaging apps has been ongoing for quite some time, and many companies are adding loads of new features to attract users to their apps. Now, 9to5Mac reports that Meta doesn't want to stay behind the competition with the Facebook Messenger app, and now, the company is adding new shortcuts to its chat app with a new update.
New update brings Slack-like shortcuts to Facebook Messenger
In a new post, Meta announces that Facebook Messenger will now be introducing shortcuts, something quite similar to the work-related app Slack. Pretty much, this update brings more fun and efficiency to your chat messages on the app.
So far, there are two shortcuts that should now be available on your iOS or Android phones, and they are the following: @everyone, which is aimed at attracting the attention of all your friends in a group chat, and /silent. Both features are aiming to bring your group chat experience to the next level.
Okay now, the @ tag isn't new in Facebook Messenger. It is used to reference a specific person and tag them in a group chat environment, so they can address your text. But now, you can just tag everyone with the new @everyone shortcut. On the other hand, the /silent shortcut allows you to message someone without sending a notification.
Meta underlines that /silent is basically for cases in which you don't want to immediately disturb your friends with your message (yeah, let's say it is late at night but you still want to share your message without necessarily anyone seeing it immediately. We've all had those late-night epiphanies, as Meta calls them.)
But that's not all: Meta plans to add even more shortcuts to Facebook Messenger
The company has also announced a few other shortcuts that are not yet available but will be coming soon. Let's check what they are.
The first one is the /Pay shortcut, and it will be arriving soon, but only for users in the United States. Pretty much, this will make it easier for you to send and receive money in Messenger chats. Using the /pay shortcut will allow you to send or request money without any fees in a secure manner. The shortcut could also be used for those of you who decide not to use apps like Paypal or Venmo.
The Pay shortcut will be available only for the US for now
iOS users will be getting an exclusive shortcut to Facebook Messenger as well. It is the /gif shortcut and will make it easier to find a GIF for your chat.
But that's not all for iOS users. If you're on an iPhone and use FB Messenger, you will also soon get /shrug and /tableflip - with those two fun shortcuts, you will no longer need to type out or copy and paste the two emojis (they are more like emoticons from the old days). The shrug is this one: “¯\_(ツ)_/¯”, while the table flip is this one: “(╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻”.
The GIF shortcut
The post also states that even more shortcuts will be coming later this year, but doesn't specify which ones and the timeframe of their release as of now.
Facebook Messenger recently got a few other useful features
Recently, we reported on another announcement by Meta for Facebook Messenger. The app now increased the duration of voice messages to the long 30 minutes (quite the big change compared to the previous 1-minute duration). Another fun feature that the app recently got is Vanish Mode, which is quite self-explanatory: a message will be immediately erased once it has been read.
In the US, there is also a new Split Payments option, which helps you distribute a payment among every person in the group chat.
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Izzy, a tech enthusiast and a key part of the PhoneArena team, specializes in delivering the latest mobile tech news and finding the best tech deals. Her interests extend to cybersecurity, phone design innovations, and camera capabilities. Outside her professional life, Izzy, a literature master's degree holder, enjoys reading, painting, and learning languages. She's also a personal growth advocate, believing in the power of experience and gratitude. Whether it's walking her Chihuahua or singing her heart out, Izzy embraces life with passion and curiosity.
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