Facebook this week updated its Android Messenger app to version 4.0, introducing free voice calling and a number of other new features.
The app now lets you make free calls over Wi-Fi, even to those in other countries, a feature that first arrived on iOS early last year. "Talk as long as you want and stay in touch wherever you are," Facebook said in its release notes. You can also make calls over a data connection, though standard data charges will apply.
Meanwhile, the update also includes the group creation and message forwarding features first rolled out on iOS last week. You can now create groups for people you message the most, complete with a catchy name and photo, to keep your contacts more organized (see photo). The forwarding feature lets you easily share a message or photo with someone who isn't in the conversation.
Finally, the refreshed Android app also now lets you create shortcuts offering up easy access to any conversation right from your home screen. This way, you won't have to navigate all the way through the app to get to an important message.
Facebook Messenger version 4.0 is available for download now in Google Play.
Facebook has been making serious moves on the messaging front lately, starting with its $16 billion acquisition of WhatsApp in February. The company also last month finally launched Messenger for Windows Phone, days after shuttering the Windows and Firefox versions of the service – a move that wasn't entirely surprising, given Facebook's increased focus on mobile as of late.