Wasting no time after the public release of OS X 10.9.1 earlier this week, Apple has released a beta of OS X 10.9.2 to developers. According to 9to5Mac, developers were asked to focus on Mail, Messages, VPN, graphics drivers, and VoiceOver. However the most intriguing feature is FaceTime Audio, which has been "deeply integrated" into Messages and FaceTime OS X apps.

Apple first introduced voice-only FaceTime calls on its mobile devices in iOS 7, but this will be the first time desktops see the feature. This upgrade was going to come sooner or later, because it will essentially complete Apple's full set of text, voice, and video communication tools across platforms.

Even with this upgrade expanding FaceTime's scope, its main competitor Skype probably doesn't have to move over just yet. Since tools like FaceTime only work on Apple products, Skype still has the edge thanks to its functionality across a wide range of devices. As with any beta release, FaceTime Audio could change or be removed prior to 10.9.2's release, but it's a logical next step.