What Today’s Facebook Announcement Means, And Doesn't Mean, To Mobile Users
July 6, 2011
As expected, Facebook has tapped Skype for video chat. Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg made the announcement earlier today at the company’s Palo Alto, California headquarters, according to Ian Sherr of The Wall Street Journal. However, this doesn't mean much to mobile users, at least not yet.
This new feature, which comes as part of “a revamp of the company’s website chatting feature,” will use technology from Skype, a pioneer in Web-based video chatting.”
Within Facebook, the Skype feature integrates into the social networking site’s Chat product. Whenever you browse to a friend’s profile using a browser you will now see “Call” between the existing “Message” and “Poke” buttons.
The new Chat sidebar should be available to all Facebook users sometime today.
Interesting enough, this new partnership arrives at a time while we await the arrival of native iPad apps from both companies, which are expected soon.
Nonetheless, the Skype feature will not work via Mobile Safari either on an iPhone/iPod touch or iPad.
Apparently those features arrive at a later date.
Thoughts?
