Facebook Messenger Launches Group Calls

Facebook has revealed the latest update to its messaging app as it looks to take on the likes of Twitter.

The social media giant has announced that users will now be able to chat with more of their friends in one place with the introduction of expanded group chats.

The new option, which will allow up to 50 participants in a single chat, is available on the updated iOS and Android versions of the Facebook Messenger app (pictured below), and should be rolling out to users over the next 24 hours.

Chatty

“Really excited to announce the global roll out of group calling in Messenger today,” Facebook’s head of Messenger David Marcus announced on his Facebook page earlier today.

In order to expand their chats, users simply need to tap on the phone icon to initiate a group call. You can then manage individual participants on the next screen.

The news is the latest expansion to Facebook Messenger, which the company revealed earlier this month now has more than 900 million users worldwide.

The app has enjoyed a number of new functions and expansions as part of Facebook’s major investment in the service in recent months, including the ability to send money over the service.

The company also recently launched new open APIs for Messenger which will allow companies to build bots that can deliver personalised news stories or allow customers to order goods and services.

There was also the launch of Messenger for Businesses, a new service which will allow companies to interact with their customers via Facebook. The service can also help customers, allowing them to receive updates about online shopping orders and delivery times, as well as being able to ask businesses questions about products or services.

These all form part of the wider launch of Messenger as a Platform, an expansion to Messenger which Facebook hopes will expand its reach outside of the social network and on to other sites.

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