Facebook Testing Mac and PC Apps for Workplace

Facebook quietly launched two official Workplace by Facebook desktop apps for the Mac and PC, TechCrunch discovered this afternoon. Workplace is Facebook's enterprise collaboration software designed to compete with Slack and other similar business apps.

The apps are available as a beta, with download links located in the Help section for Workplace. The apps are designed to allow users to communicate with their coworkers through chat, messaging, and screen sharing features. A Workplace by Facebook spokesperson told TechCrunch that Mac and PC apps were a highly requested feature.

Workplace by Facebook spokesperson Vanessa Chan confirmed the launch of the desktop app to TechCrunch, saying "This was one of the most widely requested features by customers, so we built it. The desktop app is still in beta and being tested by Workplace customers who are providing feedback that we'll use to improve the product before a wider rollout."

Prior to the release of the Workplace desktop apps, Workplace by Facebook was only accessible via a browser window, and as TechCrunch points out, it's easy to lose a single browser tab among many other tabs.

While the Facebook desktop apps are limited to Workplace, it's possible Facebook could be testing the waters for an official Facebook or Facebook Messenger desktop app in the future.