In a launch which underscores Facebook's efforts to expand its reach beyond its hugely popular social network, the company said in a Tuesday announcement that it was launching a new Android version of its mobile messaging app.

According to the Facebook announcement, the updated mobile messaging app will initially be available only for Android. The updated app will be first rolled out is a selected number of countries - including Australia, South Africa, India, Indonesia, and Venezuela -, with the rollout in the other countries soon to follow.

Interestingly, Facebook has brought about a highly noteworthy change in the new Android version of the Messenger app, which no longer requires the users to sign up for a Facebook account. In a rather strange removal of its own Facebook signup system, the social network has now given the users the ability to sign up with just their names and phone numbers.

With the updated mobile messaging app for Android enabling the users to sync their contact list to find out whether the friends are already using the app, mobile handset owners will be more impressed by the platform because it does not require them to connect with their Facebook accounts.

Revealing that an upgrade of the iOS version of the Messenger app is also being worked on, product director Peter Deng said that the launch of the updated Facebook Messenger Android app as "a natural extension" of Facebook's overall aim to connect the world.