Messaging

Google’s Allo app can reveal what you’ve searched to your friends

by Tess Townsend Mar 13, 2017, 9:00pm EDT

The mobile messaging app lets you include Google Assistant in conversations.

Messenger just became the latest Facebook app to launch a Stories feature

by Kurt Wagner Mar 9, 2017, 9:43am EST

Messenger joins Instagram, WhatsApp and Facebook in copying Snapchat’s Stories idea.

Google wants businesses to text with its Android Messages service

by Tess Townsend Feb 24, 2017, 1:02am EST

The company is continuing to expand the reach of its next-generation texting app.

Snapchat succeeded for one reason, investor says: Snap CEO Evan Spiegel

by Eric Johnson@HeyHeyESJ Feb 22, 2017, 6:30am EST

Lightspeed Venture Partners’ Jeremy Liew explains Spiegel’s game-changing insights into social media.

People love GIFs — but turning GIFs into ad dollars is taking some time

by Kurt Wagner Feb 19, 2017, 3:00pm EST

Tenor wants to become the Google Search for emotions.

Facebook is testing News Feed-style ads inside Messenger

by Kurt Wagner Jan 25, 2017, 2:00pm EST

The experiment is just in Australia and Thailand. For now.

New Year’s Eve was WhatsApp’s busiest messaging day ever

by Kurt Wagner Jan 7, 2017, 2:00pm EST

The company says its users sent 63 billion messages in a 24-hour window.

Facebook Messenger just added group video messaging

by Kurt Wagner Dec 19, 2016, 12:00pm EST

Another week, another video push out of Facebook headquarters.

Facebook Messenger built a new in-app camera for Snapchat-style selfies

by Kurt Wagner Dec 15, 2016, 10:50am EST

It’s like Snapchat, but on Messenger.

Slack still welcomes Microsoft as competition

by Meghann Farnsworth Nov 15, 2016, 2:10pm EST

There’s more than enough room in the messaging market for two players.

Trump will be a disaster for online privacy. Here’s how to protect yours before it’s too late.

by April Glaser@aprilaser Nov 10, 2016, 5:11pm EST

Use encryption.

Why Ashton Kutcher passed on investing in Snapchat, twice

by Eric Johnson@HeyHeyESJ Oct 17, 2016, 6:30am EDT

The actor-turned-investor couldn’t get over Snapchat’s design.

Full transcript: The Washington Post’s Caitlin Dewey on Too Embarrassed to Ask

by Eric Johnson@HeyHeyESJ Oct 7, 2016, 4:47pm EDT

Dewey, who covers the intersection of tech and culture, talks sexting with Kara Swisher and Lauren Goode.

Kik Messenger is no longer growing

by Kurt Wagner Sep 29, 2016, 3:00am EDT

But CEO Ted Livingston isn’t worried. Here’s why.

Is it possible to be addicted to sexting?

by Eric Johnson@HeyHeyESJ Sep 23, 2016, 6:30am EDT

The Washington Post’s Caitlin Dewey shares some safe-sexting tips on the latest Too Embarrassed to Ask.

Google has rejoined the messaging wars with its artificially intelligent app, Allo

by Kurt Wagner Sep 21, 2016, 12:01am EDT

If at first you don’t succeed ...

How iMessage could be Apple’s next big app platform

by Ina Fried@inafried Sep 15, 2016, 6:30am EDT

But Apple still has a long, long way to go.

The “secret browser” inside iOS 10

by David McIntosh Sep 6, 2016, 6:03pm EDT

Users will have access to apps within iMessage that allow them to seamlessly add a visual layer to the messages they send. And we’ll soon see a new crop of companies emerge on top of messaging platforms.

Google is starting from scratch on messaging to take on Apple and Facebook

by Mark Bergen Aug 16, 2016, 12:01am EDT

Duo, Google’s answer to Apple’s FaceTime, is here.

You can now talk to President Obama using Facebook Messenger

by Kurt Wagner Aug 10, 2016, 11:00am EDT

“Hit me with a text.” — President Obama (probably)

Facebook Messenger now has one billion active users

by Kurt Wagner Jul 20, 2016, 11:00am EDT

Messenger is the third Facebook app to hit that benchmark.

WhatsApp is back after being blocked yet again in Brazil

by Ina Fried@inafried Jul 19, 2016, 12:35pm EDT

This is the third time in a year that a judge has ordered the service offline for failing to turn over user data.

Facebook is bringing Instant Articles inside Messenger

by Kurt Wagner Jul 14, 2016, 1:00pm EDT

Articles hosted on Facebook will now load faster inside Messenger, too.

Facebook Messenger is adding self-destructing messages and better encryption

by Kurt Wagner Jul 8, 2016, 8:59am EDT

Facebook wants your private messages to be, well, private.

Mossberg: The tyranny of messaging and notifications

by Walt Mossberg@waltmossberg Jul 6, 2016, 9:23am EDT

It’s actually worse than it was in the days of the overflowing email inbox.

Slack wants to help you sign in to all your other office apps

by Arik Hesseldahl May 10, 2016, 5:23pm EDT

The office collaboration startup joins a crowded field in identity management.

Viber Joins WhatsApp, Apple With End-to-End Encryption

by Kurt Wagner Apr 19, 2016, 5:00am EDT

Chalk up another victory for user privacy.

BlackBerry CEO Defends Giving Canada Access to Some Consumer Account Info

by Ina Fried@inafried Apr 18, 2016, 11:56am EDT

John Chen said any assistance was provided based on company policies, while assuring businesses and governments that their data remains protected.

Bots, explained

by Kurt Wagner Apr 11, 2016, 5:00am EDT

What's the point? Or the business model?

Proof that Snapchat is Facebook's biggest threat yet

by Dan Frommer@fromedome Apr 1, 2016, 11:15am EDT

Snapchat is still growing rapidly, and clearly isn't a fad.

Slack Finally Completes New Funding at $3.8 Billion Valuation

by Kara Swisher and Arik Hesseldahl Apr 1, 2016, 10:56am EDT

The enterprise messaging company gets a lofty valuation even amid a funding downturn.

Twitter Insiders Keep Pitching Messaging as a Separate App, but It's Probably Not Happening

by Kurt Wagner Mar 30, 2016, 4:07pm EDT

We've seen this pitch before.