Facebook wants every user out there to get what they need in a jiffy like articles, so this time around on the video-chatting side of things, it's rolling out Instant Video on Messenger to bring "conversations to life."
Unlike traditional video calls, it doesn't start with sound, and the stream is not a two-way street. That means only the caller's video will be shared with the receiver from the get-go.
Of course, there's an option to turn on the sound, and the receiver can also start a video stream too.
Instant Video is targeted at users who don't really want to make a real video call but need more than a text or a photo to clearly explain what they're trying to say.
"Sometimes you want to ask a friend's opinion on a pair of shoes you want to buy, weigh in on what ice cream flavor they should bring home or just want to see your BFF's reaction to your witty message when you're in a place where you can't actually talk live," Facebook says.
In what seems to be a comeback for the antiquated picture-in-picture or PiP technology, Instant Video pops up in the upper-right corner on Messenger without taking up the whole screen and blocking the conversation itself. That's just convenient for users who want to show something really quick to the person they're talking to.
To get in on the action, both the caller and the receiver must first have the latest Messenger installed on their Android or iOS devices. During a conversation, there's a video icon on the top-right corner that they can tap on to start sharing a real-time video and that's all there is to it.
It's also worth mentioning that live streaming became even more popular and accessible than it already is because of Facebook Live, which is slated to get a slew of new features such as Snapchat-like filters, waiting rooms, live ads and many others.
Long story short, Facebook is giving users yet another way to connect with their friends and family via this development, going beyond the traditional chat and video calling.
With all said and done, what do you think of the new Instant Video on the Messenger app? Feel free to drop by our comments section below and let us know if you find it to be a nifty and useful feature.
