As expected, Facebook (NASDAQ:FB) has added a free calling feature to its Messenger app for Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) iOS devices. It’s available only to users in the U.S. and Canada — so far. The calls can be made over WiFi or data connections.
The mobile voice market has become a commodity. Even the major carriers like AT&T (NYSE:T) and Verizon (NYSE:VZ) mostly care about selling data plans nowadays.
However, the Messenger service could be a serious threat to VoIP operators, such as Microsoft’s (NASDAQ:MSFT) Skype and Vonage (NASDAQ:VG). Facebook is likely to get substantial uptake from its massive user base, who certainly like to chat with friends!
And yes, Messenger is a highly popular app, ranked No. 17 on Apple’s App Store. With free calling, it’s a good bet that downloads will get a boost.
Tom Taulli runs the InvestorPlace blog IPO Playbook, a site dedicated to the hottest news and rumors about initial public offerings. He is also the author of “How to Create the Next Facebook” and “High-Profit IPO Strategies: Finding Breakout IPOs for Investors and Traders.” Follow him on Twitter at @ttaulli. As of this writing, he did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities.
A long-time follower of the IPO scene, back in 1999 Tom started one of the first sites in the space called WebIPO. It was a place where investors got research as well as access to deals for the dot-com boom. Tom also wrote the top-selling book, Investing in IPOs. In it, he covers all the aspects of analyzing an IPO, such as reading the prospectus, detecting the risk factors and understanding some of the arcane regulations. But don’t worry — if that process is too intimidating for you, thankfully Tom will do the legwork for you right here in the IPO Playbook blog.
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