Facebook’s (news, site) new Messenger App could blow a big hole in existing VoIP services and wreck the market for newcomers.
A New Face?
Having dominated social media, Facebook has made a fortune helping friends stay in touch, with just enough distance provided by walls and messages to stop people feeling hassled or put-upon by the new social etiquette. But in the neverending quest for further revenue, it has to take new steps constantly.
So, now we have Facebook Messenger, a paid-for app available on Apple’s App Store for US$ 2.99 (UK£ 1.79) with push notifications that provides your Facebook inner circle of family and friends with mobile chat and free voice-over-IP calling between iOS devices or to the desktop.