Video Calling – The Latest Feature in Facebook’s Messenger App
Facebook Chief Executive and co-founder Mark Zuckerberg said that Messenger accounts for “more than 10% of all mobile VoIP calls globally”, and although Facebook doesn’t profit from these calls, they help in keeping Facebook at the center of its user’s communication habits.
We all know that calling has enhanced our ability to have real-time conversations with your family and friends through Facebook, and now, with just a single tap, a video conversation is possible on the Facebook Messenger. The app which has been a long time favorite of masses has now upgraded to having a video call with cool features within an existing conversation.
Features
- This Facebook Messenger video calling service works between iOS and Android and through both LTE as well as WiFi.
- There is a video camera icon at the top right corner within an existing conversation which needs to be tapped only once to begin a video call within an ongoing chat.
- On the start of the video call, the camera comes on in selfie mode and can be switched back and forth from front-facing and rear cameras as per the user’s wish.
- There is also a small window which displays what your camera is focusing on. This can be dragged around according to the user’s preferences.
- In situations when network signals are poor and repeatedly interrupted, the option to cut off the video feed and still have the audio running in the conversation is a handy feature.
- According to sources, Facebook is also currently experimenting with group video calling and video stabilization, which could be an added feather to its messenger app.
The Collaboration That Matters
Back in 2011, Facebook had offered video calling through a partnership with Skype, which shows that the intent to provide such a feature and more to its users has always been. Soon the decision was made to invest in its very own video communication infrastructure instead of depending on a third party for this feature, which makes Facebook Messenger a worthy adversary against similar services like Apple’s FaceTime, Google Hangouts and Microsoft’s Skype.
The Present Reach
Currently the Facebook Messenger is being used by over 600 million people per month and the video calling feature is available right now for iOS and Android users in Belgium, Canada, Croatia, Denmark, France, Greece, Ireland, Laos, Lithuania, Mexico, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Poland, Portugal, the U.K., the U.S. and Uruguay. It will gradually roll out to other countries over the next several weeks.
According to sources, Facebook is very confident about this feature being yet another success story. Unlike FaceTime, which is only for iOS users, and Skype which is mainly used by tech people, Facebook has an extensive user base and hence there are larger chances of it being adapted faster, than any other service in the world. Moreover, it is not only free, but it’s meant for the average user, and should also prove useful to Facebook as it continues developing its Facebook for Work service.
Dhruvil is a Writer & Marketeer for Nimblechapps, joining December 2014, based out of Sydney, Australia. He has worked briefly as a Branding and Digital Marketing Manager before moving to Australia. At Nimblechapps, he worked on Social Media Marketing, Branding, Email Marketing and Blogging. Dhruvil studies Business at University of Western Sydney, and also handles Operations for the company in Australia.