Facebook out to nullify Pocket and Instapaper 'save for later' feature?

Facebook is reportedly testing a feature that would allow users to save web links to catch up with at a more convenient time.

The feature, spotted by the MyTechSkool blog, mimics popular mobile apps like Instapaper and Pocket, by allowing users to place interesting articles or posts in a folder to pick up again at their convenience.

It is apparently being a limited number of mobile app users, who're required to click a bookmark next to stories on the News Feed in order to save them to a folder within the Facebook apps menu.

Presumably the saved file would be synced back to the Facebook.com website and the user's other mobile apps where they can pick up the saved articles, regardless of which device they're using.

Keep 'em coming back

Facebook is always looking for ways to keep users coming back to the site and engaging for longer while they do.

Allowing users to save popular items, rather than opening them in the web browser and bookmarking or sending to Pocket and Instapaper seems to be an easy win in that department.

When asked to comment on the existence of the feature, a Facebook spokesperson told AllThingsD: "We're constantly testing new features, but we have nothing further to share at this time."

• You think Pocket will go quietly into the night? Its mobile app just got a whole lot more useful...