Facebook (News - Alert) Messenger wants to be more than just a messenger app, but it’s not quite there yet. While the app is useful for SMS, as of right now, Messenger makes up for 10 percent of global mobile VoIP calls. On Facebook’s Q1 2015 earnings call, CEO Mark Zuckerberg (News - Alert) noted the perks of mobile VoIP and said that Messenger’s growth “is going to continue very quickly.”
Facebook Messenger’s free mobile VoIP feature isn’t all that old; it’s been available for just over a year and it’s gaining momentum to compete with more popular apps like Skype (News - Alert).
It’s clear that Facebook has become much more than a social network. It’s now a platform for marketing, a way for businesses to connect with customers, a way for developers to make and distribute apps, and now a way for users to call each other, bypassing mobile providers altogether.
On the call, it was also announced that Facebook started testing Hello, a new feature that "connects with Facebook so you can see who's calling, block unwanted calls and search for people and places."
Mobile VoIP itself is poised to have one billion users by 2017, but instant messaging apps did far better in 2014. It’s safe to say that messaging is the driving force behind mobile VoIP, as the applications used within are going to bring more users to the technology. Clearly this is what’s working for Facebook.
Part of the reason we’re seeing this shift is the increase in mobile device use. With other options besides proprietary native messaging apps that can talk across multiple platforms, users are looking for more integrated, more robust messaging systems.
Mobile VoIP ties into the social messaging landscape because it’s a cheap way to reach someone while still using a handheld device. Whether it’s social messaging or a phone call, consumers and business folk are relying on their devices instead of a desk phone, so the more options available, the better.