Facebook today pushed out a minor update to its Facebook Messenger application and improved how it handles peer-to-peer payments. First, it made the mobile payment feature available to residents of the greater New York City area. The app makes it simpler for New Yorkers to send money to others by automatically turning numbers typed in conversation threads into dollar amount hyperlinks. The recipient can click on the hyperlink to accept the payment. The web version of Messenger now supports payments within group conversations, too, with each member able to see who paid who. Users need to add a Visa or MasterCard debit to their Facebook account in order to send money to or receive money from others. According to Facebook, payments are processed immediately on the sending side, but may take a day or two to process on the receiving side. Sending money is free of transaction charges. Facebook says users can set up PINs to protect the service, and Apple device owners will be able to use TouchID to secure it. Sending money is possible from the Android, iOS, and web versions of Messenger.


More...