Facebook Messenger wants to serve you in every way possible and not just chatting. The application, which has more than 800 million monthly active users, is reportedly working on introducing in-store purchases right from within the app.
This revelation comes after a code was found buried deep inside the Facebook Messenger app, hinting that the Facebook-owned application is working on ways to let users make payments for items they buy right from within the app. In this way, the millions who still rely on using credit card terminals in stores yet they have the app installed on their phones will be saved from the hassle.
According to The Information, the Messenger app will allow users to make payments “in person” or simply pay directly through the app when they pick items from stores. At the moment, it cannot be said when this feature will go live in the chat app, but it seems the company has secretly assembled a team to work on the project that will eventually see users of this chat app buy items in stores and the Facebook Messenger app then authorizes the transaction.
Possible partnership with Apple Pay
In January, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg hinted that his company might partner with Apple in a bid to make in-app payments via Facebook Messenger a reality. While the latest reports have not detailed out anything with respect to how this service will work, the fact that the Zuck had dropped a hint of a partnership with Apple could mean Apple Pay might come on board.
There is no doubt that Facebook wants everything to be seamless and easy for its users, especially when it comes to interacting with businesses. If anything, the company is looking for ways of making a fortune out of the almost 1 billion people that use the Facebook Messenger app actively on a monthly basis.
Facebook Messenger already offers its users a way of sending each other money from inside the platform. If at all a deal cannot be struck between Apple and Facebook regarding the use of Apple Pay, we might see other players come in. However, it is also possible that Android Pay and Samsung Pay, among other companies that deal with mobile payments, will come on board. But who knows, with the kind of competition that exists between Facebook, Apple and Google, we might see social networking giant launch its own version of mobile payment service.
Apple has plans to expand the Apple Pay services to include web users on Safari, something that could work in favor of the iPhone maker.