Facebook Messenger joins the free phonecall brigade

If you’re a Facebook Messenger fan, then you’ll probably be relieved to find out that the social network hasn’t stopped work on the app just because it’s bought WhatsApp.

The latest update to Messenger has seen it add free phone calls to its list of features.

Anyone observing the various moves between the world’s various mobile instant messaging apps will know that Facebook’s messaging apps aren’t the first to include this feature. WeChat and Viber for instance both allow users to make phone calls. Like Facebook, they require both users to have a Wi-Fi connection for the calls to be truly free. Otherwise they incur normal data charges.

The feature does however appear to have been executed rather neatly on Facebook Messenger. In the updated version of the app, when you view a contact, a phone icon will appear next to their name. All you have to do is tap the icon to make the call.

The update comes shortly after screenshots appeared showing an in-app calling feature on WhatsApp.

As Mashable points out, those screenshots of the iOS version of WhatsApp look pretty much identical to the new feature on Facebook Messenger and the iOS7 in-call screen itself. The Android version does however look a little different.

So far, the update has rolled out to the iOS and Android versions of Messenger, but not Windows Phone.