Facebook Messenger on an Apple Watch can offer a range of conveniences and features that can make communication easier and more immediate. One such example is the ability to send and receive messages without needing to take out your iPhone. This can be especially useful in situations where it’s inconvenient or inappropriate to use your phone, such as during a meeting, while exercising, or when your hands are full.
There are other advantages to having the Facebook Messenger app on Apple Watch, including the ability to send voice messages or view photos from your wrist. Despite being more limited than the Facebook Messenger app on your iPhone, it has always been quite convenient and useful being able to respond to friends and family from the Apple Watch.
What Happened to the Facebook Messenger App on Apple Watch?
If you’re a fan of using the Facebook Messenger app on Apple Watch, we have some bad news for you. According to Facebook’s parent company, Meta, the Messenger app on Apple Watch will be deprecated and removed on May 31, 2023.
Some users who have the app installed are starting to see a warning message stating “After May 31st, Messenger won’t be available as an Apple Watch app, but you can still get Messenger notifications on your Watch.” When asked for a reason, Meta did not provide a response, instead stating the following:
“People can still receive Messenger notifications on their Apple Watch when paired, but starting at the beginning of June they will no longer be able to respond from their watch. But they can continue using Messenger on their iPhone, desktop and the web, where we are working to make their personal messages end-to-end encrypted.”
Making the situation even more frustrating is the fact that Meta recently announced that it would be releasing a WearOS version of WhatsApp. It was even discussed during the Google I/O 2023 Keynote, and will even offer end-to-end encryption once the app is released.
Apple Watch Apps Aren’t Flourishing
While the Apple Watch remains the most popular smartwatch, watchOS as a platform doesn’t seem to be doing so well. Apple has been primarily focused on integrating new features into iOS, iPadOS, and macOS, along with the rumors that the company is set to debut its first Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality headset at WWDC ’23.
In recent years, more and more messaging apps have been removed from the Apple Watch. These include the likes of Slack, Instagram, Twitter, and others, with Facebook Messenger becoming the latest casualty.
There are rumors that suggest Apple is planning a major revamp of the Apple Watch’s interface with watchOS 10. According to rumors, watchOS 10 will integrate and heavily rely on the use of widgets. Apple could even go so far as to “let users scroll through a series of different widgets — for activity tracking, weather, stock tickers, calendar appointments and more — rather than having them launch apps.”
One reason for this could be due to the fact that Apple Watch apps just aren’t popular. Nor are they prioritized by developers, especially when you consider the number of changes (and issues) that Apple has implemented with iOS and iPadOS. However, another potential reason for this change could be to make life easier for developers. Instead of creating and developing a standalone Apple Watch app, Apple could introduce new tools and APIs making it easy for developers to bring widgets to the Watch.
Andrew is a freelance writer based on the East Coast of the US.
He has written for a variety of sites over the years, including iMore, Android Central, Phandroid, and a few others. Now, he spends his days working for an HVAC company, while moonlighting as a freelance writer at night.
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