Facebook is trying to beat Snapchat, again, with this one new feature
The day has finally come: Facebook has actually tried to fully eclipse Snapchat.
After months of anticipation, they’ve announced a new camera that they’re calling, well, “the new camera.” With this camera, you can take selfies that are only available to view for a limited time. Sound familiar? Also not surprising is that you can use a variety of special effects, just like with another app we know and love.
With Facebook’s new camera, you can direct message your special-effects laden photo or video to specific friends, or to your newsfeed. A camera button situated near the top of the News Feed will open these features; to choose who sees your photo or video, you have to swipe right and select them.
According to Business Insider, the change has come about because Facebook noticed two important things about the way people were using social media: “People are sharing more photos and videos than ever before, and they want a way to share them with only close friends, not their entire friend demographic.
In other words, social media users like Snapchat, and Facebook doesn’t like the competition.
One pretty cool thing about the new Facebook camera is that certain effects are “reactive”: they’re really influenced by your movement. Otherwise, though, they do seem suspiciously like Snapchat’s offerings.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SnqzXaXnIDw?feature=oembed
Only downside to this new awesomeness is that it’s only avaliable in Ireland. Womp, womp. But, if the feature takes off, and is popular enough (like we know it will be) this ~new camera~ will start rolling out elsewhere. We’re curious to see the new Facebook camera for ourselves, and then share the heck out of those reactive features.