Facebook has added the ability to quickly share video messages to the Facebook Messenger app.
Just days after the social network giant launched and swiftly pulled its much rumoured Snapchat rival, Slingshot, the company’s core messaging app has received a familiar overhaul.
Facebook Messenger for iOS and Android now includes “Instant Video Sending,” allowing you to “shoot and play 15-second video messages from the camera right in the app.”
This follows swiftly on from an update in April with added the ability to quickly share photos and videos with your contacts.
The new video recording option has been slickly implemented. Just tap the camera icon and hold the Send button, and you’ll find that you can instantly record and send video messages to your friends.
Swiping your finger off the Send button will cancel the recording, which could help avoid a number of those regrettable ‘record-before-you-think’ scenarios. You can also prevent the video from sending if you quickly tap the X that appears in the chat window after releasing Send.
The latest Facebook Messenger update also adds the ability to send “Big Likes” – larger thumbs up signs for when you really like something.
There appears to be some degree of feature clash with Facebook’s forthcoming Slingshot app, which features as its core a similar level of quick video and photo sharing. Slingshot appears set to actively encourage engagement, however, with the requirement that a receiver replies before being able to view sent video content.
Version 6.0 of Facebook Messenger should be rolling out to iOS and Android devices right now. The app itself is free to download.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
