Why sign a pricey two-year wireless service contract when all you need is a cheap data plan or Wi-Fi to make calls on your iPhone? Facebook today updated its iOS app to allow users in Canada and the U.S. to make free voice calls over Wi-FI. When inside Facebook, incoming calls will pop up like a regular phone call, but will show up as a toast message in Notification Center when using another app. The world's number one social network is expected to unleash the voice calling feature for its apps for Android and Windows phones soon.
What Else You Need To Know
- Other updates to the iOS app include larger and easier buttons to like, comment and share posts within your news feed.
- To use the voice-calling option, open the Facebook app, tap a friend's name, hit the button at the top-right of the Contact Info screen, then press the "free call" button.
- The company first introduced voice functionality to Canadian users of the less popular Facebook Messenger app in January, and then added the feature in the United States a few weeks later.
Other sources
Facebookâs adoption of voice communication could have an impact on the current carriers if suddenly 1 billion users have a new way to talk to each other.- Eliza Kern, GigaOM
- iPhone In Canada Blog
- Facebook for iOS Updated with Larger Like, Comment, Share Buttons
- iPhone Hacks
- Facebook App Updated With Improved Buttons To Like, Comment And Share Posts
- Mobility Digest
- Facebook for iOS Gets Updated Share Button Spacing
- iPhone Download Blog
- Facebook app updated with new button design and free in-app calling
- Lifehacker
- Facebook Adds Free Voice Calling to its iOS App
- Phone Scoop
- Facebook Expands Free Calling to Main iOS App
- Mobile Syrup
- Facebook for iPhone updated with free phone calls to users in Canada and the U.S.
- GigaOM
- Free calling moves from Messenger to main Facebook iOS app
- Venture Beat
- Facebook for iOS now lets you make free calls to friends
- Apple Insider
- Facebook brings free VoIP calling to flagship app in update
- More...