Facebook Messenger has joined the crowd when it comes to voice calling. The company announced today that they would be rolling out a voice calling feature and that it would begin rolling out immediately. The new feature is meant to really take competition with Skype to the next level, but comes with awkward timing as WhatsApp only recently introduced voice calling as well.
The move though is one that should be received very well, as Messenger continues to see growth within its platform as a standalone option – departed from the roots of Facebook, the social network. Voice calls can be made over Wi-Fi or cellular network, and the reviews have quality at staggering levels. Even more impressively, users will be able to make video calls via Messenger, as well, which will prove valuable to a company who has wanted to see this type of platform grow into its own for some time now.
Perhaps the most impressive part of the feature though is how well it seems to be integrated into the actual platform itself. The voice call feature and video call feature are both embedded in the top portion of the chat screen, and really delivers. Simply press the button and the users will be connected instantly. Facebook rolled out an incredibly short tutorial video that lasted approximately 22-seconds, and really delivered in terms of actually explaining the process.
Facebook Messenger though is different because it competes so well and is such a light weight app itself. Skype is largely regarded as one of the best in the space, but suffers from being a little on the clunky side in terms of how to make video or voice calls. FaceTime is another platform that delivers in terms of making video or voice calls easily, but the problem with that is that its exclusive to iOS users. The only other notable comparison from there would be Google Hangouts, which doesn’t have the user-base, and even WhatsApp, which is owned by Facebook – but really serves an entirely different purpose than what Facebook’s Messenger will.
That’s why Facebook Messenger isn’t just different, or the last one to join the video chat space, but rather the one platform that needed to adapt to the changing messaging world. It began rolling out on both platforms today, and will surely be a massive hit amongst users if it continues to live up to this incredibly simple layout. This is about taking the fight to the competition like Viber, Skype, and many others – and about extending the lead that Facebook Messenger has in the chat space.
