Mark Zuckerberg announced several changes to the company’s video features in his live video. They discussed the company’s three major video product categories: video calling, video room, and live video. Products are coming soon for Facebook’s family of apps.
AR Experiences on Messenger
Messenger, which will now be available for video calling in more than 70 countries and regions, has gone through several AI-based changes to make calls more enjoyable and effective. Instead of a static background, you can set up a 360-degree immersive virtual background that moves with you as you move. There are also new AR experiences around activities and special occasions like birthdays. You can set up AI-powered mood lighting to create a better environment for your video calls, whether you’re meeting with family or going on a first date.
In addition, there are several benefits of using the new Messenger app:
If you only use Messenger on your phone, you can now make group calls on the big screen, which is better for connecting with everyone who chats with you.
The same messenger is the features you use, which will be available in the app including Dark Mode and GIF.
You can connect with the contact via Messenger without the need to know their email address or phone number.
You can receive notifications for new messages, and can also mute or snooze notifications to avoid interruptions.
Virtual Dates
The new virtual dates are a combination of Facebook dating and Messenger. You can invite matches on a video chat where you will go on a virtual date. Chat is privacy-protected so that you don’t see each other’s last names. To connect for the second time after the first meeting, you have to accept a new invitation – that way, you can’t go on a second virtual date with someone you’re not interested in.
WhatsApp has doubled the number of people who can participate in group calls from four to eight. The service is available worldwide and on all major mobile platforms, and is an end-to-end encrypted audio and video calling service.
Video Rooms
Video rooms, officially called messenger rooms, are different from video calling because you will set up the room ahead of time and then invite people to join using a link. Rooms are best for coordinating large group video calls, and anyone can join, even if they are not login to any Facebook service. The rooms will be hosted in Messenger natively, but you can also create and invite people to the room in WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram.
Unlike zoom meetings, where everyone is expected to show up at designated times, messenger rooms are more comfortable. You can send a link and let people know when the room will be open, but attendees can leave it in and out whenever they want. After creating and inviting a room that you like, users will be able to see a tray at the top of their news feed containing the active rooms they can join.
The rooms can be private, meaning they require a link to join, or they may be open to friends or people in the community. However, Facebook works behind the scenes to ensure that even more public rooms are open only to those you want to connect with. They will select people to show the room based on whom you have recently interacted with or have shown interest in interacting with. In this way, distant connections will not be able to join the room.
For greater privacy and security, you have the ability to exit a room or close a room to prevent a person from joining.
Live Video
Facebook Live lets you broadcast at the moment what you are doing and interact with the audience in real-time. Live With, an Instagram feature that will now be launched with Facebook as part of Facebook Live, allows two people to live together, even if they are not in the same place.
Instagram Live will also be available on your desktop in just the mobile app. With more people living at home during the epidemic, desktop computers and larger screens are being used more than before.
Online Events
Usually public and crowdfunding events are now being conducted online. Messenger Room and Facebook Live can now be combined with Facebook events to plan and hold online events. Smaller events can perform better in messenger rooms while larger events are ideal for live. Hosts may also charge a fee to attend the event. The imposition of fees helps creators and small businesses, and the audience will be able to attend a quality event such as a class, conference, or creative performance.
Final thoughts
Video products make you feel connected to people even when you can’t be in the same room with them. There is a wide range of uses for video calling, from secure, encrypted use for businesses to AI-driven fun and dating. The technology may be similar, but the way people use it – and they are able to get out of it – is diverse and personal.