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Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
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Facebook will update its Facebook Messenger app later today, adding two significant new voice-related abilities, reports The Next Web. The first will allow Facebook users to record a voice message to send to friends in addition to the standard text and photo messages.

The second is potentially more significant -- though is currently in limited beta testing for Canadian iOS users only. Facebook users will now have the option to make a VoIP phone call from one user to another.

Facebook has also said it will also begin the beta testing of a new VoIP calling feature within its iOS Messenger app, allowing users to establish a peer-to-peer connection and make calls without making a dent in their call allowance (although it will use existing data plans).

The only drawback is that voice calls (messages are available to all) will be available to Canadian users of the iOS Messenger app at launch.

To use the service, Canadian users will be able to log into their Messenger app, open a conversation with the person they want to call, hit the 'i' button in the top-right corner and selecting 'Free Call.' To send and receive calls, users will need to have the latest version of the app that is available today.
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Facebook's efforts create a calling system that can potentially reach its more than 1 billion users, providing a massive competition to other VoIP services like Skype.

Facebook Messenger for the iPhone is a free download from the App Store. [Direct Link]

A previous version of this article said it was the Facebook iOS app that was updated. It is the standalone Facebook Messenger app that gained the new voice features.

Article Link: Facebook Messenger App Updated With Voice Messages, Testing VoIP Calling in Canada
 

57004

Cancelled
Aug 18, 2005
1,022
341
Sounds like a cool addition (and the opportunity for Facebook to monitor even more of our lives, not sure if I like that :) ). I'm not in Canada but I probably wouldn't use it much (just like I don't use Facetime even though it's free).

But I never really understood why they have so many different apps, Facebook itself, messenger, photos and pages. You can do everything inside the main app as well and it's much handier because you don't have to switch all the time.
 

baryon

macrumors 68040
Oct 3, 2009
3,875
2,922
Will this be compatible with desktop Facebook? They're not going to reach 1 billion users if they only provide their feature for mobile users.
 

Northgrove

macrumors 65816
Aug 3, 2010
1,149
437
Wow, I can't even imagine how much processing power and bandwidth that would be required at the Facebook data centers to handle a billion voice calls, if this would roll out worldwide some day.

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How come this isn't compatible with desktop Facebook? They're not going to reach 1 billion users if they only provide their feature for mobile users.
It's possible it's intentional to reduce coverage while they're trialling the service and infrastructure. A scaling / stress test perhaps?
 

longofest

Editor emeritus
Jul 10, 2003
2,924
1,682
Falls Church, VA
Great. Facebook will now know how my voice sounds like. They will be able to sell this piece of information somehow.

Exactly. So, Facebook makes its money off of owning your data, knowing your habits, and then selling all of that information to advertisers and data collection firms it partners with.

They've already proven they can't be trusted with users' information - why would users want to have FB now tap their phone conversations?
 

BallsMcGee

macrumors newbie
Jan 20, 2010
28
13
Well it's use the 6GB data bucket or get dinged for inter-country long-distance by the Telco. Even calling within my home province of British Columbia, we get charged long distance...

Get a better plan dude. Everyone is offering nationwide calling (big thanks to Wind and Mobilicity for that one).

I get unlimited social networking (not uncommon from the big 3). I wonder how long before they pull the plug on that thanks to this voice calling.
 

charlieegan3

macrumors 68020
Feb 16, 2012
2,394
17
U.K
Well it's use the 6GB data bucket or get dinged for inter-country long-distance by the Telco. Even calling within my home province of British Columbia, we get charged long distance...

Fair enough. One day we'll be on data only contracts I guess.
 

aznkid25

macrumors 6502
Sep 15, 2007
468
2
So is this an update to the Facebook app or just the messenger app? Already got an update for messenger, but nothing for the Facebook app yet.
 

KnightWRX

macrumors Pentium
Jan 28, 2009
15,046
4
Quebec, Canada
Exactly. So, Facebook makes its money off of owning your data, knowing your habits, and then selling all of that information to advertisers and data collection firms it partners with.

I'm sure, like any ad placement agency out there, Facebook doesn't sell your information to advertisers at all. That's just daft, that information is a gold egg laying goose. You don't sell it, you get it to lay eggs.

What Facebook (and Google and Apple and every other ad placement service) does is collect information through analytics and then sell ad placement based on that information rather than selling the information directly. Doing business that way is much more sustainable.
 

trekkie604

macrumors 68000
Feb 25, 2008
1,673
1,198
Vancouver, Canada
Get a better plan dude. Everyone is offering nationwide calling (big thanks to Wind and Mobilicity for that one).

I get unlimited social networking (not uncommon from the big 3). I wonder how long before they pull the plug on that thanks to this voice calling.

Unfortunately those nationwide plans bundle data. Only 2GB, I'm not giving up my 6GB ;)
 
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