Facebook has come out with a messenger app that allows free voice calling for iPhone users. How convenient would that be?! Instead of using our minutes, we could get free minutes! That is like a dream come true, right? There are positives and negatives about this app as well. Because this is a new app, it is understandable that there might be a few glitches, like almost every new product out there.
Some positives about this new free calling messenger app is:
1. This app does not need to be updated in order to be used.
2. You save your minutes! It is really helpful if you just happened to use all of your minutes, or your family used them up for you if you have a family plan.
3. You can get free calling in a tap of a button. There will be a circled “I” icon in the conversation that the user is in. The user can press that button and tap free call to have this free messenger app call the person.
4. You can leave voice messages.
5. This is like a regular messenger where there are emoticons that you can choose from.
Based on the following positive traits stated in the article, it does seem tempting to just switch over to Facebook. It is a phone and a regular messenger all in one! You can call, leave voice messages, and emoticons! Because I could leave “stickers”, which are emoticons, I would assume that I can leave text messages as well. Then again, there would have to be more information about the texting.
According to this article, the only negative to the new Facebook messenger app is that the quality is really poor. The sound of the other person was fuzzy and tinny. I would not want to spend time to just understand what the person is saying on the other side. People do not like lag! They want this convenient. Don’t you just not like it when someone is talking, and they are cutting up and you can’t hear what they are saying? In this situation, I get frustrated and want to attempt to make my internet faster. This is, again, understandable because it is a new app.
I have rarely seen a new released product that does not have a negative side to it. Because Facebook let people sample on them, they would get their feedback and, I would hope, further enhance the new messenger. By doing this, they would need an update.
Question: Would this new Facebook app be a new trend? I know there are many other messengers out there that have free texting and free calling, but they only give you so many minutes. After you use them up, you would have to pay for them. Therefore, with unlimited minutes, would people start to just go over to the Facebook application for calling, even with low quality? If this Facebook messenger application was enhanced with higher quality, would you decide to switch over to use this new Facebook messenger app?
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You make a lot of valid points in this article. However, I’m not too sure that this app would do well. Many users who own smart phones already have unlimited plans that allow them to make as many phone calls as they want. Also, if users have an iPhone and use iMessage then they are not paying for those minutes/messages used. If Facebook really wanted this app to do well they would have to make it absolutely flawless. With that said I think this could definitely become a new trend if it was promoted and marketed the right way.
I agree with “izzydelly” that most, but not all, smart phone users have unlimited plans with their carriers; i.e. unlimited data, messaging, and possibly minutes. Since this is the case, the ability to call someone through Facebook would not appeal to the vast majority due to a couple reasons. The main reason being that this service is unnecessary to most. People without a need will not use something simply because it free. Quality is also the other key issue because consumers want and feel entitled to high quality products and services. Cell phone users constantly complain about quality of service (coverage, quality, speed, etc.) from their providers and rarely sign up with a provider based solely on price alone. Even with an amazing advertising campaign, I personally believe this app may become a commodity but will not do well in the long run.
I think that the Facebook messenger will not do well in the long run as well. Because there are many apps that offer a better quality and free messaging, calling, and other functions, such as Viber and Tango. These two apps allow you to call/text by just being connected to a WiFi or on 4G network. However, all these apps use your data if your not connected to a WiFi. Therefore, Facebook has to come up with a better functions that will allow its app to be different.
I think Facebook should refrain from making a plethora of changes to its site and introducing new apps. It should stay consistent and gradually release updates. Facebook is not Apple. It should focus on its core business first, and then branch out.