'Facebook will launch Skype-powered video chat to take on Google+'

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said earlier this week that the company would launch something awesome next week which has been built by Facebook's Seattle team. Industry watchers believe that the awesome thing due next week isn't going to be the Project Spartan that Facebook team has been working on. According to a Techcrunch report, a source with knowledge of the situation said that Facebook will launch a new video chat product, powered by Skype, which works in browser.

The surprise feature from Facebook will be based on Skype and will have a desktop component. The new feature is believed to provide an in-browser experience, without having to navigate away from Facebook pages. It remains unclear whether users would need to download additional software if they are existing Skype users.

The partnership will be a win-win situation for both companies. Google's hot social networking venture, Google+, has a video chat under the name Hangout which gives them an edge over Facebook. The new Skype powered chat will be a lucrative addition in the current scenario. Facebook's 750 million active users will substantially increase Skype's current user base of 170 million.

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