Instagram adds support for Facebook Messenger Rooms, letting you chat with up to 50 people

It looks like Facebook wants to get as many people using Messenger Rooms as possible. While there are still hints that it is coming to WhatsApp, Instagram rolls out the integration officially. Facebook Messenger Rooms allow users to chat with up to photo people on a single video call. What the integration means is you can create Messenger Rooms through Instagram, before it takes you to Facebook Messenger. 

If this feature interests you, then you can access it through the Direct Messages section of Instagram. When you're in the part of the app, select the video camera icon on the top right-hand corner. At the top of the list, you'll see Create a Room option with a description that says, "Send a Link to video chat with anyone, even if they don't have Instagram." And then it'll prompt you to select the blue "Create Room as (your name)" at the bottom of the screen. From there, you can choose the people from Instagram you want to invite and press Send. You can then opt to Join Room. In the same window, you can get a link to the Room to share with the people you want to join your chat.

Facebook acquires Giphy, reportedly for US$400 million

Facebook has acquired GIF-sharing service Giphy and plans to make it part of the Instagram team. Facebook didn't reveal how much it paid for to buy Giphy, but Axios reports that it's priced at around US$400 million. Giphy is expected to keep its branding, but it'll be primarily integrated into Instagram. GIFs are prevalent and used heavily in Instagram Stories, so having more access to a GIF-sharing service could work in Facebook's favour. We might expect to see it more integrated into other Facebook services as well.

Source: Engadget

WhatsApp tests feature that suggest users use Messenger Rooms for video calls with many participants

As you may or may not know, WhatsApp video calls can now support up to eight people in one call. But if you want a lot more people, parent company Facebook has its solution: giving WhatsApp users the option to use Messenger Rooms, which supports up to 50 people in one call. WABetaInfo spotted the feature in the latest version of the WhatsApp Web Client after having found something similar in the beta version of the Android app, which strongly suggests Facebook is working on this integration.

The shortcut shows up in the paper clip menu as well as on the main menu of the web client. After clicking on it, it'll let you know that you will be redirected to Messenger Rooms. The app does also warn you that Messenger calls aren't end-to-end encrypted like WhatsApp calls. According to The Next Web, the feature doesn't work yet, but if you're looking to host bigger WhatsApp group calls, this might be a good addition for you—as long as you're okay with the lack of encryption.

Facebook rolls out its redesigned desktop site worldwide

Image courtesy of Facebook

Maybe you've been waiting for a dark mode option to make its way to Facebook's desktop site. Well, your wait is over. Facebook has officially rolled out its new version to the majority of users around the world. Facebook said in a blog post that the new web experience is "faster, easier to use, and gives your eyes a break with dark mode." The overhaul is a significant one with plenty of empty space on the left and right rails, larger icons, the menu bar makes it easier to navigate to different parts of the app, and less clutter. 

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