Windows Phone owners will soon be able to download a specially built separate Facebook Messenger app.
Speaking during Microsoft’s MWC 2014 press conference, Corporate VP and Manager of Windows Phone Product Management Joe Belfiore confirmed there is a Facebook Messenger app for Windows Phone inbound.
According to Belfiore, the facebook instant messaging app will be available for Windows Phone within “weeks”.
“We’ve been working with Facebook testing out their implementation for a while,” said Belfiore. “It’s looking good and we will have it for our customers soon.”
Belfiore highlighted that 2013 was a very strong year for Windows Phone, helped by the arrival of big name apps like Vine, Instagram and Waze.
Microsoft announced that the Windows Phone Store is now home to over 200,000 apps, with app downloads crossing the 4 million mark last year.
“There’s a number of more great apps coming soon. Stay tuned as you hear more compelling demanded user apps coming for Windows Phone”, added Belfiore.
Microsoft revealed that the Windows Phone 8.1 release date is pencilled in for some time in the Spring, and will bring new features especially intended to help broaden the WP user base.
This includes the new ability for manufacturers to make dual-SIM Windows Phone devices for developing markets, which should hopefully help the company expand its user base worldwide.
Some more great news for Windows Phone is the addition (or re-addition) of some key manufacturers to the device list. LG, Lenovo and Foxconn will all be releasing a Windows 8.1 device in the near future.
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