Facebook is quietly killing its Windows 10 app at the end of the month

Facebook’s Windows 10 app will completely stop working at the end of February, according to an email the company sent one user. In the email, Facebook instructs Windows 10 users to access the platform through a web browser.

Is the Windows Store a dead zone? — App development for Windows 10 devices is stagnant at best. Microsoft doesn’t even bother publishing statistics on how many users actually download apps using the Microsoft Store, and many popular iOS and Android apps have never been made available on the platform. Just last year Microsoft gave up on selling ebooks on the platform and even issued refunds to those who had purchased them in the past. Killing features doesn't bode well for the future of the Windows Store.

Messenger app is holding its own — While the main Facebook app is shutting down, it appears the Windows 10 Messenger app will still be available for download. The company even directs users to download it from the Windows Store in its email about the Facebook app’s demise. The company actually re-launched an improved version of the Messenger app for Windows 10 in November after a long period without updates.

Private messaging primacy — Last year, Mark Zuckerberg said that he sees the future of social networking being founded upon “private messaging, ephemeral stories, and small groups,” which are the fastest-growing areas of online communication. By killing the main Facebook app and keeping Messenger alive on Windows 10, Facebook confirms that it’s putting private messaging at the forefront of its strategy moving into the new decade.