As expected, Facebook has is testing the ability to use MSQRD masks in its own app. The Snapchat-like integration will allow users to use various creative masks or filters for Live videos, selfies, and other photo content, and upgrade to the Profile Frames feature it already offered users.
The new feature is being tested on Android and iOS users in Canada, and only iOS users in Brazil, TechCrunch confirmed, citing Facebook Product Manager Sachin Monga. “The way that people share has changed a lot. 12 years ago, most of what was shared was text. Now, mobile changed things a little bit, but we didn’t really change our tools. If you look at what people are sharing, now it’s mostly photos, and soon it will be mostly videos. Our strategy is really simple. We want to make it really easy to share photos and videos,” Monga told the publication.
There is no word on when Facebook plans to make it available globally. Once the camera icon is opened within the app, the feature will be visible. It allows users to use several themed face filters – including some for the on-going Rio 2016 Olympics.
This isn’t the first feature that Facebook has copied from Snapchat. The company even introduced Instagram Stories, a 24-hour self-destructing post feature into its photo app recently. Facebook was even reportedly testing the same feature on the main social platform, but killed it in its testing phase itself.
In June, Facebook was reported to be working on this integration. The company acquired the app in March this year as part of its efforts to build its video services.
In its efforts to increase video consumption, Facebook announced at VidCon that it is looking to introduce several new features to Facebook Live. This includes giving the ability to schedule live broadcasts and also enable two-person broadcasting. Facebook Live will get the ability to broadcast a video live with another user participating from a different location simultaneously. The broadcaster can invite multiple friends to join in on the live video conversation. These features are expected to roll out in the coming weeks.