Facebook has begun testing new features which would allow users to make voice and video calls within its mobile app, according to Bloomberg. As most of us are aware by now, both of these abilities are currently exclusive to its Messenger platform, which had split off from the social network to become a separate mobile app back in 2014.
The move is said to be one of Facebook’s latest attempts to streamline its services. Previously, the company had been spotted testing different cross-platform features such as allowing Instagram Stories to appear on the main Facebook App, and including the ability to let WhatsApp users initiate group calls via Messenger Rooms.
Messenger director of product management Connor Hayes told Bloomberg that the voice and video call integration is meant to reduce the need to jump back and forth between the messaging platform and the main app. Interestingly, he also noted that Facebook now considers Messenger as a service rather than a standalone app. Integrations such as these are only the beginning, and we can expect to see “a bit more of this over time,” he added.
Facebook has been continuously updating its Messenger platform to include a variety of new features over the years. These include those ranging from major additions such as the Messenger Rooms group conferencing ability, to the more leisure-oriented Vanish Mode which permanently deletes a chat after it is viewed by the recipient. It is not known whether the social network intends to carry these features over to its main app, but chances of this happening are not unlikely.
As for the voice and video call abilities on the main app, Bloomberg says that the test will be made available to a limited number of users. However, it wasn’t specified when this rollout is expected to happen.
(Source: Bloomberg)
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