Facebook introduces video calling on Messenger to take on Skype, Google Hangouts

Facebook has introduced video calling on its messaging platform, allowing users to chat face-to-face with their friends by tapping a single button inside Messenger app.

The new feature pits Messenger against similar products from other companies like, Microsoft's Skype, Google Hangouts, and Apple's FaceTime, reported The Verge.

Stan Chudnovsky, Messenger's head of product, said that the focus of Facebook's developers was on making video work well on relatively low-bandwidth cell networks and therefore, the feature works over both LTE and Wi-Fi.

Users just have to tap the camera icon in order to start a call and once it has started, they can easily switch between the front-facing and rear cameras, or turn the camera off completely.

The feature is expected to help Messenger build on its considerable momentum. The app already has 600 million monthly active users and makes about 10 percent of all internet-based phone calls.