In a surprising move, Facebook has announced that it will be pulling out several of its apps from circulation and closing down its internal app development division.
A spokesman for the social media giant made the announcement on Tuesday. According to Facebook's statement, it has already pulled out several apps from the apps market for both the iOS and Android app stores. The apps that are to be shut down include instant messaging software Slingshot, video sharing app Rift, and anonymous group messenger Rooms, Fortune reported.
Facebook quietly pulled the three applications from downloads section of the two app stores on Monday. The company said that Slingshot and Rift would still be functional in the meantime for those who already have them downloaded while Rooms will be running until Dec. 23 before being shut down for good. All three apps have not been updated since March.
Another application, the Paper news reader app, would still be functional, but is expected to follow suit.
According to Facebook, some of the features of the discontinued apps would be rolled over to the main Facebook app and Messenger. On the other hand, certain features of the Paper app have been implemented in the newly-released Instant Articles.
Alongside the shutting down of the three apps, Facebook also said that they will be closing down Creative Labs, a group that developed complementary apps for the main Facebook app, including the three terminated apps. Some of the team that developed Paper are now currently working with Instant Articles.
However, Facebook assured that they will still continue development of new apps for its users, Business Insider reported.