Now Enjoy Video Calling in Facebook Messenger App

In a move seeking to transform its mobile messaging services into a full-featured platform, Facebook Inc. has just introduced free video calling in its now standalone Messenger application. The app has rolled out on both iOS and Android; however, there is not news yet regarding other smart-phone platforms.

At present, the Facebook Messenger has more than 600 million users glued to its services. Gearing to add many more, the company has now provided for a video icon located at the top right corner of its app screen. A user can simply select that video icon at the top and start a fresh video call from within an ongoing Messenger chat or conversation to instantaneously connect to a virtual world where the exchange of information can be experienced in real time. The Facebook Messenger had also launched voice and video calling between computers earlier this year.

Facebook’s Messenger seems to be playing right in competition with Skype from Microsoft Corp, FaceTime from Apple Inc. and Hangout by Google Inc., all of which provide for video calls between mobile devices or computers. While the Messenger already equips people with the ability to have voice calls, the new video calling feature will help allow Messenger’s real-time communication features a wider reach and use for people sitting in any part of the world. As has been the case with Facebook’s recent app launches, the video calling works decently enough even if your internet connection isn’t that great, a case mostly observed in developing countries.

At the annual developer conference of Facebook in March, CEO Mark Zuckerburg had shared that the social network would introduce a plethora of features within its Messenger application. For instance, users can also use the app to send money to friends and relatives. Facebook has also brought out a platform that enables developers to conveniently create apps functioning right within the Messenger.