Can you use FaceTime on an Android phone?

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Apple really hit it out of the park with FaceTime, the super-easy to use video calling software that every Apple device has built-in. It’s just as easy as making a phone call and lets iPod, iPhone, Mac, and iPad users all talk to each other.

That’s all fine if your circle of friends and family are all Apple users, but what if there are Android devices in the mix? Google has tried to emulate this success, with apps such as Duo, but they’re not baked into the operating system so they require the other users to install apps, which often means they go unused.

Does Android have the ability to run FaceTime, so you can talk to your Apple-owning friends and family without resorting to Skype?

So, can you use FaceTime on an Android device?

Simple answer: No

Apple’s FaceTime is just that, Apple’s. It doesn’t work on any other devices as it is a proprietary standard and Apple won’t be releasing it to other platforms any time soon, if ever. So yea, FaceTime doesn’t work on PC. You might have seen multiple apps on the Google Play Store claiming to be FaceTime-like or other combinations, they’re all charlatans.

At best, they’re fake, at worst, they could be malware and be siphoning off your bank details and other secrets. Don’t install anything claiming to be FaceTime from the Google Play Store.

What do you think? Surprised that you can’t get FaceTime on your Android device? Let us know down below in the comments or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

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Joe Rice-Jones

Maker, meme-r, and unabashed geek with nearly half a decade of blogging experience at KnowTechie, SlashGear and XDA Developers. If it runs on electricity (or even if it doesn't), Joe probably has one around his office somewhere, with particular focus in gadgetry and handheld gaming. Shoot him an email at joe@knowtechie.com.