Is Facebook Preparing to Launch Video Chatting In a Partnership with Skype?
While working on the Green Any Site facebook application, and digging around facebook, I noticed a curious little object in their code which wasn’t there a few days ago.
The object, which is simply called VideoChat, appears to have everything needed to introduce video chatting functionality.
What is even more interesting is that the object has several properties which refer to Skype, and clearly suggest being able to video chat with Skype users, or maybe even associate your Skype id with your facebook identity.
Is this the next move in Facebook’s plan to corral all of our communications into facebook.com
UPDATE: Digging further into the code reveals it checks for plugin support using either ActiveX on Internet Explorer, or using the Skype SDK.
UPDATE 2: It seems that Facebook is currently bucket testing this feature, as it didn’t appear everytime I loaded the page, but only once in a while.
You can see the code yourself on facebook’s servers and it is also mirrored on Green Any Site.
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5 people have left comments
Skype video chat coming to Facebook? The code seems to be there said on November 28, 2010, 3:36 pm:
[...] a blog post today, Facebook app developer Tal Ater claims to have stumbled upon a Javascript object on the [...]
Video Chat Returns To Facebook’s Code, Integrates With Skype said on November 28, 2010, 5:28 pm:
[...] eventually disappeared, it has returned to the company’s code base, as first pointed out by Tal Ater. Recently Skype and Facebook announced a large integration, however that integration appeared to [...]
Will Skype Video Chat Ever Come to Facebook? said on November 28, 2010, 8:24 pm:
[...] the social networking site.Although that hasn’t happened yet, Facebook application developer Tal Ater has rekindled speculation around the idea in spotting a “VideoChat” object in Facebook’s code.Interestingly [...]
Facebook Code Renews Skype Video Chat Integration Rumours | Gizmodo Australia said on November 28, 2010, 11:09 pm:
[...] with Facebook users. The code also checks for ActiveX or Skype SDK plugin support, Alter said. [Green Any Site via Techmeme] Tagged:chatfacebookonlinerumoursskypeunconfirmedvideo [...]
Is Facebook Launching Video Chat? – Techland – TIME.com said on November 29, 2010, 8:01 pm:
[...] Tal Ater from Green Any Site was working on his website's Facebook application, when he noticed a "VideoChat" object in their code, which would allow the inevitable. He delved further and found out it has several references to Skype, perhaps suggesting you can move your Skype ID to your Facebook page. There's still no comment on when the application (if it really is going to be developed )will launch or how it will work. However, Skype has already integrated Facebook into their desktop client, and back in May 2009 Facebook admitted they were trying this feature out but had no set date for when it would be available for users. Will a Skype and Facebook merger encourage you to use the chat functions more? Or are you wary of Facebook getting even more personal data, like your phone number? [...]
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