Facebook Messenger Launches Group Video Calling

Facebook Messenger has launched its own split-screen group video chat feature, allowing for multi-video chats in one session.

The group chat can be used by six different people at the same time while 50 people in total can listen to the audio and send texts, stickers, emojis, and GIFs. You can also use filters like those Snapchat-style selfie masks during your video chat.

This feature is going to make the Facebook Messenger much more resourceful as it won’t be just a text messenger anymore and would be the perfect way for a group of friends to connect with each other live. Facebook itself calls it “perfect for those spontaneous moments where text just isn’t enough”.

The group video chat feature rolled out worldwide on iOS, Android, and web, today, though Android will have to wait for the MSQRD-powered selfie masks. The filter feature might not ever come to desktop.

Messenger Gets Video Calling

Facebook Messenger got one-on-one video calling feature back in April 2015, and since then, everyone has been anticipating the addition of the group video call feature. With over 245 million people using video calling regularly, it’s safe to say the feature will be a hit.

Facebook had already beaten other messengers like FaceTime/iMessage, Google Duo, Snapchat and others when it came to video calling. WeChat added the feature an year ago.

How it Works

If you want to use the group video calling feature, you can select friends or a group text thread to invite to a video call.

Six people in total will be able to use the video calling feature at the same time. The Messenger screen will switch to a gallery format, and whoever is speaking will take up the big bulk at the top of the screen while the rest of the 5 will have little thumbnails for each one at the bottom of the screen, quite like Hangouts.

Up to 50 other people can join the call, but they won’t appear in the video gallery and will only be able to listen to the on-going call.

Facebook Messenger Chats Now Offer End-to-End Encryption

Facebook is finally capitalizing on the promise it first made back in July, of making conversations on Messenger completely encrypted. The platform isn’t the first to offer such a feature but is definitely among the most used ones, even if it doesn’t offer it in full glory.

The feature, dubbed Secret Conversations, is now available to the billion or so active users of Messenger, as confirmed by Wired. It is turned off by default so it requires turning on manually. It also doesn’t make every conversation that has occurred in the past encrypted.

How to Activate:

In the latest version of Messenger, you’ll see a new secret icon in the top right corner of the app. Tap that and you can start an encrypted chat. Existing conversations can also be converted to secret ones, by tapping their name at the top, and toggling the Secret Conversations option.

Encryption Tech:

Messenger uses the renowned Signal encryption system, developed by the nonprofit Open Whisper Systems, which has already been implemented in the privacy-centered Signal Private Messenger. That app has the blessings of none other than Edward Snowden.

Of course, both the users need to update to the latest version of Messenger to use the updated security feature so first make sure that is done. The conversations can only be carried out on a single device at a time.

Room For Improvement:

The functionality of these conversations is a bit more limited in comparison to normal ones, with GIFs and videos not supported, yet.

The feature was first tested in beta in public back in July and only now is it arriving to the all users.

Messenger isn’t the first platform to offer such privacy, as Signal, Telegram and Whatsapp among others have had it for long. Though, it is certainly among the most used messaging apps. That will happen of course if you trust Facebook with your privacy in the first place.

Facebook Messenger Now Offers End-to-End Encryption for Chats

Following the recent surge in demand for secure apps, Facebook is now offering a new end-to-end encryption mode on Messenger, called Secret Conversations. The mode is currently available for a few users and could be in for prime time later this summer.

The mode brings Messenger in equal standing with competitors like iMessage, BBM and Whatsapp who already offer end-to-end encryption. Facebook highlights health and financial information as potential avenues where it could be used. It is not totally secure, but at least it demands a more sophisticated attack.

The mode resides inside the Messenger app, requiring no further installs. It will only work on one unique device at a time, be it your phone, laptop or desktop which makes sense as messages will only appear on the devices they’re delivered to. It will be very limited in terms of features at first, not supporting GIFs, payments, videos or any other Messenger features. Secret Conversations also won’t be turned on by default.

Users can time their messages to self-destruct after an allotted period, allowing greater controls over privacy.

Facebook, which came recently under fire from users for supposedly making their shared links on Messenger easy for marketers to find, is releasing the feature as a way to appease some of the bad press.

With 900 million users under its pocket, Messenger could be highly successful in getting encryption to larger populations. That is, if Facebook can shed away the trust issues to begin with.

Facebook Messenger now let you send text messages - Android only

Today the Vice President of Messaging products at Facebook, David Marcus, announced that the Messenger is getting a brand new feature for the Android version.

SMS integration

The new feature is the ability to send SMS messages from the Messenger. This will allow users to focus all of their messaging on one app instead of using separate apps for SMS and instant messaging.

David commented,

“Very excited to announce a major new feature for Messenger on Android today! From now on, you’ll be able to send and receive your SMS messages from Messenger, which means you now have one integrated place for all your messaging!

Aside from the usual options in SMS apps, the Messenger will allow sending voice clips, stickers and let you share your location via SMS. All of this is done on the client side and none of the SMS are sent to Facebook’s servers, if you were wondering about the security aspect.

He added that a lot of texting apps for Android did not have enough features and options for the users, which led them to design the Messenger so it works as a texting app as well, killing two birds with one stone.

The app will include Messenger exclusive features as well such as chat heads and more. It’s limited to Android for now.

The update is expected to be released today and will be available for most countries by Friday including Pakistan. 

The Legendary Yahoo Messenger is Finally Shutting Down

One of the oldest Messenger apps is shutting down after 18 years of service. Yahoo has announced they will be signing off and closing their the app permanently on 5th August.

Yahoo messenger was originally named as “Yahoo Pager” and it was launched in 1998. It became quickly popular with its user-friendly interface and maintained a strong following over the years by introducing interesting additions to its functionality such as its famous emojis that provided its users with a unique online chat experience.

It developed a faithful user base in Asia-Pacific region and many of us have memories of the Yahoo and MSN Messenger days. Amazingly, according to Bloomberg, Yahoo Messenger still had a following among oil traders who used it to gossip and even bid on prices of commodities.

Last year, Yahoo announced a more modern and cross-platform supportive Messenger that laid the foundations of the End-of-Life for the Legacy Messenger.

Yahoo made this announcement with their official blog post, saying,

In December of 2015, we announced a brand new Yahoo Messenger for mobile, the Web and in Yahoo Mail on the desktop, built on a new modern platform. This complete revamp brings users an incredibly fast, beautiful and smart way to send — and unsend — messages, photos and animated GIFs in 1:1 and group conversations.

While today we provide basic interoperation between the legacy product and the new Messenger, we encourage all of our users to complete their transition to the new Yahoo Messenger as we will no longer support the legacy platform as of August 5, 2016. We intend to continue our focused efforts on the new Messenger, with a goal of delivering the best experience to our users.

The announcement indicates that Yahoo is reviewing its future projects and it wants to develop and enhance new apps.

After August 5th, anyone still using the legacy Messenger will no longer be able to log in or send messages. Same applies on messages sent through third-party apps built on top of Yahoo’s API. The new Messenger  is available on the iOS Store and Google Play.

Bored with chess?? Facebook Messenger allows you to play Basketbal- here is how to

Hope all of you have enjoyed the Game of Chess in the Facebook Messenger.

But if you're quite bored playing Chess or not really good at the game, then you probably felt a bit excited about Facebook's recent inclusion of a little Basketball mini-game into Messenger.

Now you can play Basketball through Facebook Messenger, just by typing in the Basketball emoji and sending to one of your friends. This would enable a secret Basketball mini-game between you and your friend.

Here's How to Play Basketball:

Just locate the basketball emoji from your emoji list, send to one of your friends and click it to start the game.

Once sent, you would be taken to the Basketball court in a pure white background, where there is no sidebars of any friend suggestions or any promotional ads; only appears a basketball and a hoop, nothing else!

All you have to do:

Just Swipe up and Toss the basketball into the hoop.

A single swipe on your phone in the direction of the hoop to bask in the ball. Facebook also encourages your gameplay with various emojis after each basket.

On successful basket, Game appreciates your gameplay by displaying various emojis like Thumbs Up, Hands Up, Claps and Smiles. On a miss, Game warns you by showing emojis like "Surprised", "Feared," and similar.

Messenger will also display your scores in between, based on your successful baskets. Your goal is to challenge your friend to see who can get the most consecutive baskets.

Video Demonstration

You can watch the Video Demonstration of Facebook Hidden Basketball game below:

To play this game, the Facebook users should have the latest version of Messenger installed on their mobile phone.

The addition of such mini-games into Facebook's messaging platform would be a loneliness breaker.

As this game had been unveiled after a couple of weeks of Chess, let's hope Facebook would integrate more games like caroms or snooker in its upcoming rollouts.