NEW YORK: Facebook Messenger has introduced free video call. You need to download Facebook Messenger to your device to start using its video calling feature.
How to Start a Video Call in Facebook Messenger
Facebook made it easy to start a video call because there aren’t a lot of buttons to tap before going into the call. Select the person you want to call and tap the video camera icon to start with the video call. You will also find the video camera icon in any existing chat conversation you have within the app. You will find it on the upper right corner of the chat beside the telephone icon for a voice call.
Starting the Video Call
Once the other person answered the call, the camera will start front-facing and you can switch it to the rear camera if you prefer. The feature also has a small window that shows where your camera is pointing at, and this can be dragged around the screen. You will also have the option to turn completely off the camera but still continue with the audio of the conversation – a feature that not all video calling applications have. This is convenient when the signal weakens, and the call gets repeatedly interrupted.
Video Call Quality
Facebook has also announced that they want to make their video calls work well even when using low-bandwidth networks. Facebook Messenger users have started using the new feature, and many have reported that the video quality is acceptable but still doesn’t fare well with older and more tested video calling apps like Skype and Google Hangouts. However, Facebook executives said that they are still working to improve the quality of video calls.
Voice Calls
Before offering video calls, Facebook Messenger already offers the ability to make voice calls to your loved ones. Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg even claimed that Facebook Messenger is accountable for more than 10% of mobile VoIP calls globally. The ability to have video calls makes it more convenient to have real-time conversations with all your loved ones. Now, you’ll have the option to see them face-to-face and not just hear their voice over the internet.
Availability
The video calling feature works between Android and iOS and can be used using Wi-Fi and mobile data. You can have a strong LTE signal on your device and still be able to call someone with a weaker internet signal anywhere in the world. This new feature is available for Facebook Messenger, but you can still have a video chat with a Facebook friend on your computer. Facebook partnered with Skype in 2011 to offer video chats. However, in Facebook Messenger, Facebook does not use a third-party for the feature.
