Facebook Revamps Messaging System

Zuckerberg said that Facebook had been working on a "modern messaging system" for about a year's time. It's not e-mail by itself, he said; it has seamless integration with your phone, e-mail, and other Web sites, Zuckerberg said. The new service is designed to unify e-mail, SMS, IM, and Facebook messaging. The goal? It should be personal and simple; users shouldn't have to wade through a complex product, Zuckerberg said. And it should be short, not having to share it in long bursts.

Google had blocked Facebook from importing contacts, but Facebook struck back by posting a workaround. Monday's announcement was just the latest in what some are calling the "contact wars".

But Facebook executives said that users don't have to import e-mail addresses, calling it "totally optional." Users also don't have to add a mobile phone for SMS messages, but users may receive an e-mail stating that a user wanted to send them an SMS, but could not.

The roadmap

VoIP services may be on the roadmap, but not for now, Zuckerberg said. IMAP integration with other e-mail services is also not in place, but also planned, executives said. IMAP was on PCMag.com's list of the top ten features we wanted from Facebook Mail.