Facebook Messenger has been updated with new features for video chat, in version 128.0. The latest updates allow you to decorate yourself and the screen during one-on-one and group video chats, to make the experience more entertaining and memorable. You can add filters, apply masks and effects, show reactions, and take screen shots to save and send pictures of your time together during live chat. You can easily access all the new features by tapping on the relevant icons at the bottom of the camera screen.
Here is everything new in this update:
Apply video filters to yourself when on a live video call with friends or family. The app offers a decent variety of video filters to choose from with color changes and lighting tweaks. Tap on the ‘water drop’ icon to access the filters menu. Tap on different filters and test the result of each filter in live preview before applying them.
Show reactions to moments or the on going topic of the conversation during a video chat or conference. Like Facebook reactions, tap on the ‘thumbs up’ icon at the bottom right of the camera screen and select the desired emoji to express surprise, love, anger, laughter or sadness. The reaction emoji will be displayed differently depending on whether you are using the front or back camera. The emoji will animate and disappear so you can express multiple emotions in a video call.
Use masks or effects to decorate your face or your screen for a more fun interaction. Tap on the ‘star’ icon to open masks and effects menu to select the preferred facade for the moment. Unlike reactions, the applied mask or effect stays on until you choose a different one or take it off. At a time, you can only choose to apply a mask or an effect, you will not be able to apply both at the same time. Each mask is unique with different effects based on gestures, like waving your hand or opening your mouth.
Take screenshots or pictures of your video chats to share memories of time spent together with others or simply save it as to your Photos app. Simply tap on the ‘camera’ icon and the app will take a screenshot or picture and automatically save it to your photos library. If you choose, you can share that moment later with others either by sending it to the people you were video chatting with or post it on any social media platform like Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat or more.
http://www.facebook.com/messenger/videos/1375587622560914/
This is an interesting update to Messenger’s video chat and resembles Snapchat’s lenses and effects features. Regardless of the criticism of copying Snapchat, these are cool and fun features to add to video calls, to make them entertaining, expressive and memorable.
Download Messenger from: App Store, Google Play.
