Facebook adds new effects to video chats on the Messenger app with imminent update

Facebook has announced today a number of new features to be used while video chatting on the Facebook Messenger app. If you're a subscriber to Snapchat, some of these new additions will seem quite familiar to you. Coming in an update to both the iOS and Android versions of Facebook Messenger over the next few days, the new capabilities include masks and effects that can turn you into a floppy eared rabbit, a flower child from the 60's, a headband wearing bear, and more. These masks stay on the screen throughout the entire chat unless you switch to another mask, or turn off the feature. Some have hidden effects (for example, try to open your mouth with the bunny mask on).

During a video chat, you can click on reactions, which lets you choose one of five emojis expressing emotions like love, laughter, surprise, sadness or anger. Once you select one, tears, hearts or other symbols of the emotion you selected will fill the screen with an appropriate bit of quick animation. Most of these emotions have different looks depending on whether your face is on or off screen at the time. Filters will provide colorful changes to your video, including the ability to change the lighting. You will be able to see how the filters affect your video chats before actually using a particular setting live.

During your video chat, touch the camera icon and you will be able to save and share images of the video chat you are currently involved in. The photos are sent to your phone's camera roll, and from there they can be sent to friends, family, or posted on other social media sites.

Check out the new things you can do with Messenger's video chat feature by clicking on the video at the top of the story.

source: Facebook via PhoneScoop