You can now sign up for Facebook Messenger without a Facebook account

Thanks in no small part to Facebook, Messenger is rapidly growing in popularity. On Google Play, the app reached one billion downloads earlier this month, while on Apple's App Store it leads the free apps chart for iPhones. But while it certainly benefits from being tightly linked to Facebook, the company wants to make it possible to sign up for its messaging service without a Facebook account.

When it announced this change, Facebook did not detail why it is introducing this sign up option. However, it looks like the company wants its messaging service to become more attractive for those who are not willing to join the social network but want to connect with their Facebook friends.

"With Messenger, we've been focused on creating the best messaging experience possible by giving people a fun and easy way to connect and express themselves with friends and contacts", says Facebook software engineer Louis Boval. "If you're in Canada, the United States, Peru or Venezuela, we are starting to roll out a new way for you to sign up for Messenger -- without a Facebook account".

A year ago, Facebook's penetration rate was around 56 percent in US and Canada, with Peru coming at roughly 43.7 percent and Venezuela at 38.8 percent. By decoupling Messenger from Facebook in the aforementioned markets, the messaging service is well positioned to gain more followers who would not be otherwise be willing to use it. Teens, especially, are interested in other social networks and messaging services like Instagram and Snapchat.

The company says that using Messenger without a Facebook account will give users access to the same features Facebook users get, so there is nothing to lose by taking this route. The sign up process is much easier also.

Users who wish to sign up for Messenger without a Facebook account will only have to provide their name, phone number and photo. This gives them a higher degree of privacy -- from other users, at least -- over connecting to the messaging service with a Facebook account.

This feature will roll out to those in the US, Canada, Peru, and Venezuela, on both Android and iOS. There is no information yet that it will also make its way to other platforms, like Windows Phone.