Facebook has announced today through a blog post signed by Adam Mosseri (Head of Instagram), and Stan Chudnovsky (Head of Messenger) that the company is connecting the Messenger and Instagram experience to bring some of the best Messenger features to Instagram.
The objective is that users can have access to the best messaging experience, no matter which app they use.
Messages and calls from friends and family using Instagram will stay in the users’ Instagram app. The main change is that people employing the Messenger app can now reach other user on Instagram without the reached needing to download a new app, and vice versa.
Users can also control where they receive messages and calls, such as in their chats, in their message requests or not at all.
Another chance is watching audiovisual contents together creating a group no matter wether some of the users in this group are using Instagram or Messenger.
People on Instagram can decide whether to update immediately to this new experience, or not.
Facebook is launching new features on Instagram and Messenger in a few countries around the world, and will expand the roll out globally soon.
Facebook adds that this is only the start to making it easier to stay in touch with friends and family across the apps owned by this company.
Launching more than 10 new features
Find below all the features coming soon to the new Messenger experience on Instagram:
Communicate Across Apps: The feature allows connecting seamlessly with friends and family across Instagram and Messenger by using either app to send messages and join video calls.
Watch Together: With this tool watching videos on Facebook Watch, IGTV, Reels (coming soon), TV shows, movies, and more with friends and family during a video call is possible.
Vanish Mode: This feature allows choosing a mode where seen messages disappear after they’re seen or when the user closes the chat.
Selfie Stickers: The feature allows creating a series of boomerang stickers with the user’s selfie to use in conversation.
Chat Colors: The feature allow users to personalize their chats with fun color gradients.
Custom Emoji Reactions: Create a shortcut of the user favorite emojis to react quickly to messages from friends.
Forwarding: Easily share great content with up to five friends or groups.
Replies: Respond directly to a specific message in the user’s chat and keep the conversation flowing.
Animated Message Effects: Users can add visual flair to their personal message with animated send effects.
Message Controls: Users can decide who can message them directly, and who can’t message them at all.
Enhanced Reporting and Blocking Updates: Now users can report full conversations in addition to single messages on Instagram, and receive proactive blocking suggestions across Instagram and Messenger when they add their accounts in the new Accounts Center.
With this new update, users will have choice and controls to manage their privacy, including whether message requests go to their Chats list, their Message Requests folder, or whether they receive them at all. Facebook offers tools for people to report suspicious activity, and take action to block someone across apps to stop unwanted messages and calls when something doesn’t feel right.
Some features such as custom emoji reactions and selfie stickers will be available on Instagram first and will come to Messenger soon after.
Image over the headline.-© Facebook.
Related external links:
Learn about privacy enhancements with this update
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