Messaging services are a dime a dozen these days which is why those competing in this saturated market try to get a leg up on their competitors by introducing new features. Viber emerged on the scene a couple of years ago with its voice calling and instant messaging features but now the service is going far beyond that. Today Viber confirmed the addition of a new feature, video calling, which will first land on its iOS and Android applications.
This isn’t Viber’s first foray into video calling, it has offered this feature through its desktop applications for some time now. Viber, which is now owned by Japanese e-commerce juggernaut Rakuten, has decided to roll out this feature to two of its most popular mobile applications.
Viber for iOS and Android have both been updated today to version 5.0 with the video calling feature. The update also brings QR codes which can be used to share contact details.
This isn’t the end of the line for Viber. CEO Talmon Marco told TNW that they’re working on three “big” updates which will be released by the year’s end. One of those updates might have something to do with games. The other might bring integration with Rakuten’s e-commerce platform.
The new Viber app with video calling is now available for download for both iOS and Android.