Facebook has unveiled a new messaging system that could see a drop in the use of more traditional email systems, reports with Wall St Journal.
The new Facebook service will provide users with an '@facebook' email address, and is designed to merge email, instant messaging and SMS text messaging into a single inbox. If it catches on, it could pose a threat to rivals such as Google and Yahoo and see Facebook becoming the largest internet messaging provider.
Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook's chief executive, argues that the system will not by any means replace email.
"This is no an email killer. This is a messaging system that includes email as a part of it". He said
As well as maintaining conversation histories and tracking the user's communications, the system will feature a 'social inbox' that will filter messages from people who aren't in a user's social circle.
"We can do some really good filtering for you because we know who your friends are". He said.
As creepy as that sounds, the new service should roll out over the next few months and is expected to be a hit, especially with younger people who do not already use email. The threat to rivals lies mainly in the fact that Facebook already knows so much about its users, which it will no doubt exploit to full advantage. That and the fact it has 500 million users worldwide, substantially more than other traditional email providers.
Look out, Google.
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