SAN FRANCISCO, Aug 25 — Change is in the air at Facebook and Instagram. The two applications, which belong to the same parent, are doing some tidying up.
While Instagram is getting ready to bid farewell to its famous “swipe-up,” Facebook is looking to put video and audio calls back on its platform, without requiring users to go through Messenger. We take a look at the options that are coming and going at these social networks.
Audio is definitely everywhere. Between Twitter, which continues to enhance Spaces format, its audio lounge format, and TikTok, which has been betting big on the use of sound for brands, now it’s Facebook’s to get in on the act.
Mark Zuckerberg’s social network is giving audio and video calls another chance, bringing them back to the Facebook platform, eliminating the need for users to go through the Messenger application.
According to information revealed by Bloomberg, Facebook has launched a first test starting Monday, August 23 in the United States.
The idea is to reduce the back and forth between the parent application Facebook and Messenger, said Connor Hayes, product manager at Messenger to Bloomberg. Video and audio calls are already available on the Messenger application.
The messaging platform became a standalone Facebook app in 2011 before messaging was fully turned off in the Facebook app in 2014, requiring use of Messenger.
While the number of users who have access to this test has not been communicated for the time being, Facebook has confirmed to The Verge that these features still in development are being tested in other countries in addition to the United States, without specifying where.
Stickers for links
Facebook’s other application, Instagram, also has something new in store. Starting this August 30, the “swipe-up” function will no longer be available to users who have access. This revelation was discovered by some users after receiving a pop-up alert to indicate this upcoming change, as reported by The Verge.
Often used by influencers and other stars on Instagram, the swipe-up allows you to add a link to your Story and access it by sliding your finger from the bottom to the top of your screen to open the link.
But don’t worry, while this function will cease to exist, Instagram intends to keep the possibility of adding a link to your Story thanks to special stickers on which you will just have to click to open the page in question. The only difference between these two options is that a user cannot comment on a Story with a swipe-up while the link sticker allows it.
Last June, Instagram announced that it was testing these link stickers on a handful of lucky users, who didn’t necessarily already have access to the swipe-up feature. To date, only users with more than 10,000 followers or who are verified have been able to unlock this service.
According to Instagram, users who already have the swipe-up function will be able to directly enjoy the stickers links but the platform is already considering extending this privilege to more users. To be continued. — ETX Studio
