The world’s largest social network with over one billion users, Facebook, has made a significant improvement to its mobile Messenger apps for iOS and Google Android, bringing voice clips and free voice calls (VoIP), allowing users to directly talk with their Facebook friends.
The VoIP feature is currently only available for Canadian iOS users, and works over either WiFi or a cellular connection.
To send a voice clip, simply tap the “+” button to bring up the record button that appears below the text field. Simply press and hold to record up to one full minute. To start a voice call, tap the info button at the top right of a message window and tap “Free Call”.
The update is now available in the Android Marketplace and the App Store for iOS.
Facebook is expected to expand the mobile VoIP feature to the U.S. and may introduce mobile video calling by the end of this year.
You could only send voice messages from your mobile device, but cannot send (only listen) to them on the desktop website.
Google already offers free unlimited VoIP calling in North America through Gmail, but that service is not available to Canadian mobile users. Additionally, Google Voice is also not available to Canadian users at all after launching in March 2009 in the U.S.
Facebook (NASDAQ:FB) closed down about 80 basis points to $27.77 per share in today’s trading session.