Facebook Inc's Instagram has souped up its camera with quirky face-tracking filters, adding another feature similar to that offered by social media rival Snap Inc's Snapchat.
Instagram users will now be able to choose from a range of filters including koala ears that move and twitch as well as math equations that spin to create humorous effects.
Other new features include a rewind mode for videos, which will allow users to play video in reverse, and hashtag stickers to visit hashtag pages.
Facebook has been amping up its camera tool to take on Snapchat's features such as disappearing messages and face-tracking filters, which are hugely popular among its teenage and millennial users.
The world's largest social media network has already added several Snapchat-like features such as Stories, which allows users to upload pictures and video slideshows that disappear after 24 hours.
Instagram said in April over 200 million people used Stories daily.
Snap, in its first earnings report as a listed company, said it had 166 million daily active users as of March 31.
Snap's shares have been on a roller-coaster ride since their market debut on March 1. The stock plunged about 23 percent last week after the company posted disappointing quarterly results.
However, it recouped some of those losses after several institutional investors including George Soros and Daniel Loeb disclosed stakes in the company.
Snapchat's shares fell 1.5 percent to $20.42 in early trading on Tuesday, while Facebook's shares were little changed.
(Reporting by Aishwarya Venugopal in Bengaluru; Editing by Anil D'Silva)
source: news.abs-cbn.com
MANILA - Facebook on Wednesday introduced a new feature on its mobile app that allows users to post images that disappear in 24 hours, pioneered by rival Snapchat.
It was the fourth time California-based Facebook adopted such a feature on its properties. Facebook Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp also allow users to post photos and video that expire after a day.
Like Snapchat, the new camera on Facebook's app allows users to add masks, frames and filters.
Use the new #Minions mask on the Facebook app and share with us your favorite Minion expressions to be featured on our pages. pic.twitter.com/Q6fRgwiCO8
— #Minions (@Minions) March 28, 2017
Masks currently available include those from the movies Alien: Covenant, Despicable Me 3, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Power Rangers, Smurfs: The Lost Village and Wonder Woman.
The company said the move put the camera at the heart of the Facebook experience.
"Over the coming months, we plan to introduce new ways for the Facebook community to create their own frames and effects that can be used on any photo or video created with the new Facebook camera," it said.
"Our goal is for the camera to be a home to hundreds of dynamic and fun effects that give you new ways to connect with friends, family, and your community," it said.
source: news.abs-cbn.com
