FaceTime is a very popular video chatting app for iOS devices. It is the most convenient video chat solution for iPhone users. Well, it is also available for OS X. Unfortunately, being one of the easiest yet popular video chat app on iOS, FaceTime is not available for Android. A lot of people switching from iOS to Android would always search for FaceTime on Android. But, there’s a slim chance that FaceTime for Android would arrive shortly. At least, for now, Apple is not interested in introducing FaceTime on Android.
So, how do you get FaceTime experience on Android? Will you switch back to iOS after knowing that FaceTime isn’t available for Android? I suggest not to.
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How to Get FaceTime for Android with FaceTime Alternatives for Android?
There are a lot of FaceTime alternatives on Android. Some, proving themselves even better than FaceTime. So, we present you the list of the best video chat apps that offer a similar or even better experience than FaceTime.
1. Google Duo
Google Duo is one of the best alternatives to FaceTime. It provides a clean user interface to operate with. There’s an interesting “Knock Knock” feature on Google Duo which lets you see the caller before you pick up.
Unlike FaceTime, Google duo isn’t restricted to one platform such as Android but is a cross-platform solution. Google duo intelligently manages the video call quality depending on your Internet connection. If it detects a slow Internet connection, it grays out the video and allows only audio communication. With a high-speed Internet connection, you’ll experience a very high-quality video conversation.
2. Hangouts
Hangouts is a popular messaging client by Google which is also a cross-platform solution. So, you can be sure that it’s not a standalone video calling app but does provide the facility.
Being primarily a messaging client (can be used both for SMS & Google conversations), it does offer a great experience with the video calling facility as well. Before Google duo, this existed as one of the alternatives to FaceTime on Android.
Google hangouts optimize the video call quality in almost the same way as Google duo does. However, it comes with a rich user interface which might not prove to be as lighter as Google duo.
3. ICQ Video Calls & Chat
ICQ is an instant messaging app which offers an excellent video call experience. Just like Skype & Hangouts, ICQ may not have a huge active user base, but the video calls are perfectly reliable in every type of Internet connection.
ICQ helps in saving a lot of data while video calling. It just switches to a black & white mode which helps to increase the video quality yet decreasing the video transmission size. It is a cross-platform app as well. So, if you have friends using this, you’ll never miss talking to them through video calls.
4. Skype – Free IM & Video Calls
Skype is yet another loved video calling client which acts as an alternative to FaceTime even for iPhone owners who are unable to get in touch with their friends on other platforms. It provides a rich user interface.
Skype offers one-to-one and group video calls. You can add up to 25 people on a group video conversation. With this, you get a lot of other functionalities which include – mobile & landline calls at low rates and group conversations with up to 300 people.
5. IMO Free Video Calls and Chat
IMO is an indeed popular messaging and video calling client. It is yet another cross-platform video calling solution as an alternative to FaceTime.
There is a possibility that you probably didn’t know about it. It’s because IMO is immensely popular in specific regions and countries. IMO does not offer many fancy features nor saves a significant data compared to other video clients. So, we advise you to install it only if you have a decent Internet connection.
However, there’s one thing which might interest you despite its inability to give you a good video calling experience while on a slow Internet connection. That’s encryption! Not only encrypted chats, but your calls will also remain encrypted while transmission just like Red Phone (which is now integrated with Signal) offered previously. An encrypted call is typically expected to be of a lower quality, but as per our experience, it was pretty good.
6. Viber
Viber is a pretty popular video calling app which also allows you to send messages. It was recently more loved for a feature – “damage control” – which lets you delete a sent message or voice message from your end permanently. Obviously, it would come handy at some point in time while singing a song to your girlfriend! (maybe the first one was horrible, and you sent it accidentally!).
It also provides encryption for video calls, messages, and voice calls. Viber comes baked in with a quite polished UI and decent looking video calling screen with the necessary options. Video calling experience was quite decent. It encountered some issues only while we switched from a WiFi network to the mobile data service.
Besides, it also gives you the capability to manually authenticate with whom are you talking, so you can trust them with their identity. It’s a pretty neat feature.
7. Tango – Free Video Call & Chat
Tango is a unique video calling app with its interactive features offered. It offers both messaging and video calling. It stands out from the crowd by giving the user ability to share stickers, emojis, add filters, and play games while on the video call. So, it’s a fun way of interacting with your friends through a video call compared to what other video clients offer. It isn’t advisable if you want to utilize a video calling app as an alternative to FaceTime just for professional needs, that’s because experts mostly go with Skype.
It delivers a good (not great as Duo) when on slower Internet connection but nothing that would annoy you. If you’re okay with other features offered, and you have a decent Internet connection, you’ll get a good time utilizing video calling through Tango. Mine advise, don’t dance!
8. Wire – Private Messenger
Wire is one my personal favorite considering the security it offers. I don’t have any idea what Snowden thinks of this. However, Wire is an entirely open source project which offers both encrypted chats and video calls.
The video call experience on this app was surprising. There’s no doubt that it is still undergoing a lot of modifications considering that a lot of developers take their time to suggest fixes or ideas for an open source project.
It could act as a FaceTime alternative for Android device if you’re looking for a secure video calling client that’s constantly evolving with time.
9. WeChat
WeChat is a perfect video calling app if you reside in Asia. Most of your friends might be using it already. You just need to get it installed to get started. Also, if you’ve tons of friends hailing from China or South Korea, they must be already on WeChat. It offers both messaging and video calling facilities. The video calling experience is great, even with slower Internet connections. It also supports group video call up to 9 people at a time.
Given that it is a suitable video calling solution as an alternative to FaceTime, it is a quite resource-intensive app. At least, in our case, when using it on the Moto X Play running on Android 6.0.1, it took out most of the battery juice in the initial hours of usage. So, if you are already impressed with this, you should give it a try and observe whether there is an abnormal battery drain. If not, you’re ready to go!
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If you were previously an iPhone user and made a switch to Android, you’ll probably get stuck initially as there a lot of alternatives to FaceTime on Android. It would finally come down to your personal preference whether you want a video calling client to perform well on slower connections, or if you want just the best feature-rich video calling app.
If you want a simple video calling app with a decent user interface, you should go with Google Duo. If you’re up for fun filled experience on a video app for Android, Tango is good to go! Asia? WeChat all the way! Professional? Skype! Considering where you’re friends at, you can inquire them and then install other video calling apps like IMO, ICQ, Hangouts, Viber, and Wire.
What do you think of the FaceTime for Android? What other alternatives to FaceTime on Android you recommend other than mentioned in this article? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
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