Facebook’s Workplace Chat Comes To Windows And Mac Desktops

Facebook has opened up its Workplace Chat desktop app to everyone, bringing a challenger to Slack and Skype for Business. 

Formerly in a beta period, Workplace Chat is now live and brings instant messaging and video chat, along with file and screen sharing to offices and the business world. 

Group video chat is also on the horizon for Workplace Chat, with Facebook noting it will add the feature in the coming weeks. 

Much like other messaging and collaboration tools, Workplace Chat works across Windows and Mac desktops, as well as offering an Android and iOS app.

The mobile app and a browser version on Workplace Chat has been around for around a year with Facebook boasting some 30,000 organisations across the world making use of the chat service, once it was taken out of its private beta. 

Positive reception 

And it appears to have been well-received. 

“Workplace gives us a place to work together. With operations across more than 150 cities in 12 countries, we’re able to use Workplace to collaborate and build culture across our global offices, onboard new people and bring our company closer together,” said Mike Hudack, chief technology officer at gig-based food delivery company  Deliveroo. 

Such messaging services are not uncommon in workplaces, with the likes of Slack having come through the ranks to be widely-used across all manner of businesses. So the arena is rather competitive. 

But Facebook will likely trade upon its name and its experience in creating social networks and platforms to further boost the spread of Workplace Chat. 

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