Facebook Messenger for Windows 10 is now on the same level with its Android and iOS counterparts, at least when it comes to voice and video calling services.
Even though those on Android and iOS have been using this feature for quite some time now, Windows 10 users have always been overlooked when it comes to early app updates. We can also say that the Facebook Messenger app for Windows 10 has not been around for such a long period as compared to other platforms. The app made it to this platform just this year April, but towards the end.
However, it has now been several days since the features started rolling out and apparently, there are not many huge differences between the Windows 10 version and the rest of the party. When inside the app, the top right corner of an open chat has a button for voice calls next to the one for video calls. The icons will glow green whenever the person on the other end is available for calls.
Facebook Messenger for Windows 10 will work on all platforms supported by the OS – both mobile and PC. When you start a call, the feature will warn you that the calls are about to use your data plan or Wi-Fi. This is the same warning you get even when on a PC, which is kind of weird given that PCs don’t have a data plan. Nevertheless, the fact that the features are here is all that matters, at least for now.
The updated Facebook Messenger now eliminates the hassle that users had to go through whenever they wanted to make a voice or video call on their Windows 10 devices. This involved either going for the web version of Messenger or the full Facebook.com website, something that meant you had to leave the main Messenger app.
Before the addition of voice and video calling features in Facebook Messenger for Windows 10, the social networking company had revealed that of the more than a billion people that already use the app, at least 300 million use it to make voice and video calls. This move will only but serve to increase this figure.
Despite the addition of this feature, there are still some features you won’t find on the app and are available on Android and iOS. For instance, the latter platforms allow users to send a message to the person making a call even when the call is coming in, something you can’t do with the Windows 10 app. However, you will still be able to get desktop notifications as well as send voicemail messages whenever the recipient of your call doesn’t answer.
There is room to change the camera you want to use once the call is on. You also have the usual options of muting the call, enable video capturing as well as end the call. Even though the update already comes with support for group voice calls, there is still no room for group video calls.
Those using Facebook Messenger on Windows Phone will have to keep waiting for these features.