Facebook Messenger tests screen sharing

Here's one useful feature for Facebook Messenger that we hope gets released. The company's messaging app is trying out a way to share screens on its mobile app. App researcher Jane Manchun Wong discovered in the app's code that Facebook is developing a new functionality called Share Your Screen Together. 

It's accessible via a new icon at the bottom of your Audio/Video call screen. When you activate it, the user will be warned that it'll capture everything displayed on the screen. For Android users, you'll need to permit that app to do this. Unlike other apps, sharing your screen will turn off the camera. You won't see the picture-in-picture image of the person you're talking to when this feature is activated. We don't know yet if Facebook plans to release this feature to the public. 

Source: Android Police

Instagram's new Threads messaging app can send automatic updates to your close friends

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If you keep a Close Friends list on Instagram and are keen on trying a new messaging app, you might want to check out what Instagram is cooking up. The company is testing a new Threads app, which is designed to be a standalone companion messaging app for Instagram. It's a way to contact your Close Friends list and share things like location, speed, and battery life. If those features seem to be familiar to you, it's Facebook's latest attempt to copy many of Snapchat's most popular features. The app will let you send automatic updates to your entire list of friends. It also gives you access to Instagram's full suite of creative tools, which include text, photo, and video messaging.

Facebook abandoned in May its previous attempt to make a standalone messaging app for Instagram. But it looks like the company wants to give it another shot, especially since its CEO Mark Zuckerberg believes that the future of its company will revolve around private messaging.

Source: The Verge

Facebook takes out chat function in Facebook Groups

Facebook introduced direct messaging or chats within Facebook Groups last year. But now the company is taking out this feature. The chat function created within Facebook Groups will become unavailable starting August 22nd. The existing messages created there will become read-only. You can search for these threads within the Messenger app, but you will not be able to add anything else or anyone within these particular chat windows. Facebook says it's exploring new ways for group members to communicate in real-time. The shut-down, however, does not affect group messaging or group chats within the Messenger app.

Source: Facebook

Facebook is reportedly talking to streaming services for its camera-enabled TV streaming device

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It isn’t news that Facebook is still developing Portal video chat devices. It also isn’t news that Facebook is working on a camera-toting device that can double as a TV streaming device. What is news is that Facebook is reportedly trying to get big streaming services onboard. And that the device is expected to be announced this fall. According to The Information, Facebook supposedly approached Netflix, Disney, HBO, and Hulu about adding their subscription services to its hardware.

Disney+ isn’t going to launch until November 12^th in the US, but with a big company that owns tons of popular characters and franchises, it makes sense that Facebook would want to work with them. Netflix isn’t part of either of Facebook’s Portal products either. But now with something that serves as a streaming device, it might be more enticing for Netflix. An important question though is whether consumers will trust Facebook to put a camera in their living rooms and in front of a product they use a lot. That’s a question for another story. But we would like to see how this product turns out.

Source: The Verge