Facebook testing out Wi-Fi based calling in Canada
Facebook is testing a new calling feature on its Messenger iOS app in Canada that could push more voice communications away from the carriers and help drive adoption of over-the-top VoIP calling apps.
The social networking giant will let Canadian users call their friends over a Wi-Fi connection, mimicking similar functionality from VoIP calling apps like GTalkor Skype. It’s part of an update to Messenger that also allows users to record a voice message and send it over.
We are unsure as yet where Facebook hopes to take these additional apps as they all appear able to have the facility to drift into the main Facebook app and out again.
The method does offer consumers perhaps a dedicated route to a particular function whilst ruling out the main social aspects of the Facebook app, such as videos and images.
However, with Messenger taking on voice call facilities in addition to text messages, this does set it in line as competition for the popular apps of Skype, Viper and WhatsApp.
Facebook has millions and millions of customers and if voice calls become popular, this could see Facebook expanding even further than it stands today.
