You can now officially send texts on Facebook messenger

Is there anything that Facebook can’t do?

Facebook is finally integrating SMS into Messenger, making all of our lives easier and much, much more organised.

The feature, which is currently only available for Android, allows you to send and receive SMS and Facebook messages using the Messenger app. To make things slightly easier it helps you differentiate the texts from the Facebook messages by colour-coding your inbox: blue for the messenger and purple for your texts - so it’s actually pretty simple.

What’s so special about it? Well, quite simply the fact that you can monitor your texts as well as your Facebook messages without switching apps is pretty handy for both multi-tasking and saving data.

The new feature started earlier this year with a few test-runs, leading to the tech giant re-launching the feature. And not just that – Facebook is also treating us to a selection of additional accessories: think voice clips, stickers and the option to share your location. It’s essentially a Whatsapp-Viber hybrid, designed to handle and manage all of your communication needs.

The set-up process is simple, users just have to verify their numbers with Facebook and then set it as the default messenger using the mobile settings. That’s literally it.

Unfortunately, as with all good things, there is of course a catch - your regular text fees still apply and your emails sent on Messenger will still use data. The upside, however, is that your text messages will not be recorded so anything you send via text will not be sent, uploaded or stored on Facebook servers', according to Facebook VP David Marcus.

The feature is entirely voluntary, allowing users to switch it on and off as they please. Despite its obvious appeal, there is still no word on the upgrade being implemented into i0S, but judging by its positive reception, it’s surely only a matter of time.