At its annual F8 developers conference, the message of Facebook was clear. The company intends to move in a direction that expands its capabilities beyond being just a social network.
Over 2,000 developers attended the conference, where Facebook revealed a multipronged strategy for the development of apps that will be integrated in various products of Facebook.
Here are the most important topics covered by the 2015 Facebook F8 developers conference:
Virtual Reality
Facebook CTO Mike Schroepfer demonstrated how far Facebook has gone with virtual reality since acquiring Oculus Rift last year. Schroepfer vaguely said that the technology could be launched this year, but he later backed off on the revelation on Twitter by stating that the technology he was referring to was for hardware for creating VR experiences.
"What the heck does this have to do with Facebook?" asked Schroepfer to himself, voicing the question that may be on everybody's minds since the company's acquisition of Oculus Rift. He answered by stating that virtual reality is simply another way to be able to connect with other people.
Messenger
Facebook is positioning its Messenger app as the go-to communication tool for users, and this goal will be helped by Facebook's release of the Messenger Platform, which will allow developers to create apps specifically for Messenger.
For now, the third-party apps available for Messenger include those focused on selfies and creating GIFs. With the launch of the Messenger Platform, users can expect more apps across a wider range of functions in the near future.
Businesses on Messenger
The new feature for Messenger will allow businesses to communicate with customers in an entirely new way. Currently under testing, Businesses on Messenger will allow e-commerce businesses to send shipping information to customers, for example, with the customer given the chance to ask questions directly to the business. The feature will launch in a few weeks.
Aquila
The Aquila is an unmanned drone with Internet connectivity that will be able to provide locations with Internet access. The Aquila has the mass of a small car and a wingspan of a Boeing 737, with Schropefer saying that Facebook will release more details about the drone within the year.
Videos
In Facebook's goal to challenge YouTube, it has released an embedding feature for videos uploaded to Facebook that will allow users to place the videos on other websites. Facebook also revealed an interactive 360-degree video that will allow users to look at locations from different angles, which would work great with virtual reality. With these videos, users can put on their virtual reality headset and immerse themselves in a video of a location that their friend posted from anywhere in the world.
Artificial Intelligence
Facebook revealed that certain teams are developing artificial intelligence, including technology named "Memory Networks." The technology will assist Facebook users in sorting through the information on the Internet so that they spend more time on things that they care about.
The F8 developers conference certainly covered a lot of topics and made several announcements regarding the future of Facebook, fostering excitement for the company and the developers in attendance.
