TechCrunch has obtained photographic evidence and an eyewitness report that Facebook has built an as-yet-unreleased Facebook Messenger For Mac desktop app, the news agency reports.

Releasing an official Facebook Messenger For Mac app could make it easy for people to chat whenever they’re on their computer. Instead of getting buried in one of many web browser tabs that users have to switch to so they can text friends, the dedicated Messenger desktop app would be instantly accessible from the Dock.

Facebook declined to provide a statement or confirmation, telling me “We don’t comment on rumor or speculation.” The more people that chat on Facebook, the more they get locked into the company’s family of apps and features, including Facebook’s News Feed where it earns money on ads, TehcCrunch says.

Messaging is the future of mobile. Increasing the number of people who are instantly available through Facebook Messenger makes the app more valuable for everyone regardless of what device they access is through.

Detaching Messenger from Facebook could potentially make it easier for people to avoid Facebook’s ads. But that’s a sacrifice Facebook seems willing to make to boost its chances of winning the war to control chat. After all, Facebook already separated messaging from the News Feed on mobile.