Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Mobile
  3. News

Facebook recruits PayPal president David Marcus to lead mobile messaging efforts

Trevor Mogg
By
facebook recruits paypal president david marcus to lead mobile messaging efforts messenger
Image used with permission by copyright holder

After two years as president of PayPal, David Marcus is moving to Facebook to take up the role of vice president of messaging products.

In a post on LinkedIn published Monday, Marcus said he was “excited” about the move, adding that he was “looking forward to getting my hands dirty again attempting to build something new and meaningful at scale.”

Recommended Videos

He said that at first he’d had doubts about “another big company gig,” but had been impressed by Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s “compelling vision about mobile messaging.”

Above: David Marcus [Image via Facebook]
Above: David Marcus [Image via Facebook] Image used with permission by copyright holder

He added, “Mark’s enthusiasm, and the unparalleled reach and consumer engagement of the Facebook platform ultimately won me over.”

The social networking giant said on its site that starting from July Marcus will lead efforts to develop “great new messaging experiences that better serve the Facebook community and reach even more people.” Given Marcus’s background, it’s also possible he could help introduce e-commerce features into Facebook’s mobile apps.

The company is keen to expand its mobile presence in a bid to boost revenue, with messaging apps a key part of its strategy. Its Q4 2013 financial results revealed that for the first time in its history, mobile ad revenue exceeded that of desktop, with 53 percent of the company’s income generated via its mobile apps in the three-month period.

Buoyed by the rising mobile revenue and keen to push out more mobile apps with more ads, the company in April announced it would be removing the ability to send messages from within its main application, forcing users to download its standalone Messenger app, which is currently used by more than 200 million people every month.

In a further indication of Facebook’s increasing focus on messaging, the company recently spent a whopping $19 billion on the acquisition of popular mobile messaging service WhatsApp, and is in the middle of trying to sort out the launch of its Snapchat-like app, Slingshot.

Marcus is likely to focus primarily on developing Messenger and new mobile messaging services, with the WhatsApp acquisition having been conditional on it being able to retain its independence and brand.

John Donahoe, CEO of eBay – PayPal’s parent company – will oversee the running of the online payment outfit until a successor is found.

Topics
Trevor Mogg
Trevor Mogg
Contributing Editor
Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…
The best personal finance apps in 2023 for iPhone and Android
best personal finance apps.

When managing personal finances, there are many tasks to remember — from budgeting and tracking expenses to saving money and investing for the future. Fortunately, technology has made it easier than ever to stay on top of your finances, and plenty of apps are available for Android and iOS users to help you manage your money effectively. This means you can use them on any of the best mobile devices on the market, including the iPhone 15 Pro and Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra.

We have compiled a comprehensive list of our favorite apps to help you find the right personal finance app for your needs. These apps can help you track your spending, create a budget, monitor your investments, and more. Whether you're looking to save for a big purchase, pay off debt, or improve your financial health, these are the personal finance apps you should use.
YNAB

Read more
Don’t wait for the Galaxy S24 Ultra. Just buy this phone instead
The back of the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra.

The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is nine months old, and over the next few weeks, talk of its successor — the inevitable Galaxy S24 Ultra — will start to gather pace.

I went back to the S23 Ultra to see if it was still as exciting as it was in February this year. I also wanted to see if waiting for the sequel instead of buying it today would be a wise decision to make. Here's what I learned.
What makes the Galaxy S23 Ultra unique

Read more
Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro are still at their Black Friday prices
The home screen on the Google Pixel 8 Pro.

Best Buy has some fantastic phone deals with both the Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro still at their Black Friday prices. That means you can buy the Google Pixel 8 for $549 thereby saving $150 off the regular price of $699. Alternatively, you can buy the Google Pixel 8 Pro for $200 off so it costs $799. If you’re interested in either, take a look below at what we have to say about them before you commit to making a purchase.
Google Pixel 8 -- $549, was $699

The Google Pixel 8 offers great value for money. It has an attractive 6.2-inch OLED “Actua Display” with 2400 x 1080 resolution, up to 2,000 nits of brightness, and a variable refresh rate between 60Hz and 120Hz. Performance is speedy with Android 14 working great on this phone. It also has a strong set of cameras with a main 50MP lens along with a wide-angle camera with 12MP lens and a 125.8-degree field of view. There’s also a 10.5MP selfie camera with fixed focus. One of the best Android phones for value, you’ll love its other features too. The Google Tensor G3 processor is speedy while there are useful software options like the Magic Eraser tool you’ve probably already heard about which is changing up photos for the better. It also has an adaptive battery so it’s possible to run for up to 72 hours between charges depending on what you’re doing with it.

Read more