Chrome's mobile Facebook pushes expected to drive traffic

A Google Chrome update will let Facebook users receive push notifications from their mobile Web browser.

Developers say the feature will make the mobile website and app experience more similar.

A Facebook engineer told The Verge, "The mobile web doesn't just mean native apps. ... We want to give users all the functionality that they can get in the native app on the mobile website as well."

The mobile push feature is already being used by sites like Pinterest and Vice.

Facebook's product manager on browser partnerships told TechCrunch, "Push via Chrome is 'a great lever for re-engagement to the site [from] ... people who might not use Facebook as much.'"

Facebook users in the developing world might find this new feature especially useful.

That's where many people turn to the mobile Web version of the social network because it uses less data and doesn't require app updates.

Facebook made the announcement at its @SCALE conference.