Facebook Messenger now supports group calls

Facebook is pushing to make Messenger the end-all-beat-all communications solution for you at work or at play. And it’s pretty understandable why. The service has 900 million active users every month, and Facebook is looking for ways to monetize it with ads. If they can scoop out some of the usage that is currently going to competitors like Skype or Google Hangouts, then it’s basically all aboard the gravy train.

The update is rolling out over the next 24 hours, so if you’re not seeing group calling on your device yet, just grab the latest update. Currently you can have up to 50 people in a group call, which kind of signals that Facebook is targeting the working crowd with this feature. Still, if it can handle 50 separate lines, then a three-way debate about dinner between friends should be a piece of cake.

What Messenger still lacks is video calls, of course, which is something Hangouts and Skype still have a stranglehold on. However, we’d be really surprised if Facebook didn’t integrate this functionality over the course of the next year. This particular market, the business of helping people communicate live, is a hot one and getting hotter, and it’s clear the social titan wants a piece of it.

What are your thoughts regarding group calling support on Messenger? Something you’d use, or does it not particularly affect your use of the app? Let us know your opinions in the comments below!