Facebook have announced an update in its standalone messaging app. 

The new version of the Facebook messenger app will now allow users to send messages easily using their mobile devices and will be available for both iOS and Android users. The app will work incredibly similarly to SMS or texting and users of the app will even be able to send messages to their mobile contacts, not just their Facebook friends, or friends of friends.  In order to receive messages from non-Facebook friends’ users will have to include their mobile number.

These messages will be free of charge as Facebook are hoping to provide this service as a great alternative for people who are currently using traditional texting services in which can often cost a lot of money, especially when used in excess.  This update will start to take place on Tuesday and within the upcoming weeks all iOS and Android users should be able to use it.

Twitter users will no longer have to click on images in order to see them.

This is another update in which people should start seeing on Tuesday.  Twitter is planning on making both photos and videos show up in user streams, a lot like we can already see on Facebook.

Benefits of this update will include users having more visual timelines and having to click less but on the other hand could users end up being exposed to too many pictures, some of which they don’t really want to see?

In a blog post the company announced that the change will come into place immediately on Tuesday, online and also on any updated iOS7 and Android Twitter apps.