Over the weekend Facebook has quietly updated its iOS app to offer free voice calling.
Ring around
Facebook already offered the feature on its iOS and Android Messenger apps, but has now rolled out the update to its premiere iOS application.
Users can now call friends who are online directly from a sidebar in the app, with no phone number required.
Facebook phone?
Facebook might never build a phone, but that doesn't mean Mark Zuckerberg doesn't want a bigger slice of the mobile pie.
In the company's recent earnings report, Mobile DAUs (daily active users) surpassed Web DAUs for the first time. Mobile MAUs (monthly active users) numbered 680 million, an increase of 57 per cent over the year.
Skype sacrificed?
Facebook has obviously taken notice, although it's interesting to note that free voice calls may cannibalise the market for Skype, which Facebook owns.
However if Facebook can acquire more data points about its users this may lead to a more relevant news feed and targeted ads.
It seems Facebook is betting the extra data is worth taking a hit on Skype for.
The updated iOS app is now available from iTunes for US and Canadian users. An Android update expected shortly.
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