Facebook Messenger Bug on iOS Breaks Typing for Some Users, Update Said to Fix Issue

Just a couple of days after Facebook Messenger chief David Marcus announced a clutter-free experience, it has now been reported that the Messenger app on iOS is not allowing users to type more than a few characters. The bug, which remains unaffected by the closing and re-opening of the app and even restarting the device, can only be fixed through an update that has now been made available for all compatible Apple devices. Users will need to update their Messenger app to avoid the bug.

Multiple users have reported the annoying bug on Twitter and other social media channels. "Tonight's problem with Facebook Messenger: I can't type more than a few words before it won't let me type anything else. Restarting my phone and re-downloading the app did nothing," one of the affected users tweeted while defining the issue.

Facebook, in a statement to TechCrunch, acknowledged the bug but didn't provide any concrete details about its fix. However, folks at 9to5Mac have spotted that the latest update to the Messenger app resolves the bug. The update, which is available for download through Apple App Store, is compatible with all the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch running iOS 8.0 or later. Notably, the changelog available within the App Store doesn't define any bug fixes and specifies the updated version as 149.0.

Earlier this week, Messenger's Marcus published a note on Facebook that revealed an overhaul to make the app free from the clutter that were caused by recent features. The note by the executive also mentioned a development to enable real-time communications on the instant messaging app. "No one wants to miss a special moment, but real-time communication is what connects us in times of crisis too... and we, unfortunately, saw more than our share of that last year," Marcus had said.

Facebook Messenger has a robust user base of over 1.3 billion users worldwide. Alongside being an app, Facebook has designed its Messenger as a platform that has over 200,000 bots. The social networking giant also developed its native 'M' virtual assistant messenger bot back in August 2015 that is eventually set for a formal shutdown on January 19.