Facebook Messenger Gets Major Update That Ditches Discover Tab, Loads Twice as Fast

Facebook Messenger is getting a major update that ditches the Discover tab and loads twice as fast. CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced the new version earlier today.

We've completely rewritten Messenger to get a lot faster. Starting today, we'll be rolling out the new Messenger app for iOS. Once the rollout is complete, Messenger will be one quarter the size and load twice as fast. When you open Messenger throughout the day, it will feel much faster and more responsive compared to other apps you use. Enjoy!

Social Media Director Jeff Higgins also shared screenshots of the update with TechCrunch. The screenshots show that Facebook has ditched the Discover tab, demoting chat bots to a hidden feature. Instant Games and Transportation options are also missing from the composer's utility tray.


New features include a full-screen sub-tab for Stories which is now the default view for the People tab. You have to tap the "Active" sub-tap to see which of your friends are online.

Check out a few screenshots of the new design below. You can download Messenger from the App Store for free.

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