Microsoft working on a competitor to FaceTime?

Apple’s release of FaceTime has revived a lot of interest in mobile video chat and now word is going around that Microsoft is planning to come up with its own competitor to FaceTime for Windows Phone 7. It’s speculated that the application will integrate with Microsoft’s Live services, allowing it to be used on all Windows Phones. When asked why Microsoft wouldn’t use a service such as Skype, the answer was that the FaceTime competitor would “reach beyond the hand of Skype”. It was also said that a front-facing camera may be a requirement for Windows Phone 8 devices, though there isn’t any confirmation if the service will be a part of Windows Phone 7 via an update or not. Still, with Android and iOS placing a lot of importance on video chat, we’re fairly sure that Microsoft wouldn’t be left behind.