Facebook has begun rolling out new messaging features for its Messenger as well as Instagram. The three new features include watch together, vanish mode, and chat themes that will be added to both platforms. Recently, vanish mode was announced by the social media platform but at that time Facebook did not reveal the release date for this feature. But as per the company’s latest blog post, all the new features will be collectively rolled out gradually as a part of the new messaging experience on Instagram.
The first feature, which is Watch Together is now available on Instagram. This feature will allow users to tune into IGTV, Reels, TV shows, movies and trending videos in real-time along with their friends over video chat. In addition to these two new shows “Post Malone’s Celebrity World Pong League” and “Here for It With Avani Gregg,” exclusively available to Messenger and Instagram through Watch Together. And to watch these shows with your friends all you need to do is start a video chat on Instagram or Messenger or create a Messenger Room. In an Instagram video chat, tap the media button in the bottom right and select the ‘TV & Movies’ tab. In a Messenger video chat, swipe up to access the menu, select Watch Together then select the ‘TV & Movies’ tab. From there you can select various videos and other content, including Avani and Post’s shows.
Chat Themes is the next new feature that will be accessible when you update to the new messaging experience. You can personalise your conversations with various themes such as tie-dye and love. Both Messenger and Instagram will be getting a special chat theme with TinyTAN, a group of lovable characters created from the seven members of BTS. So, the BTS Chat theme will activate the TinyTAN chat theme in your chat settings by tapping Theme and selecting TinyTAN.
Lastly, the Vanish Mode which is an opt-in feature that makes seen messages disappear after you leave a chat thread will also be available soon on both platforms. For privacy and security, this feature will only work for the people you’re connected to in a chat. If someone takes a screenshot of your chat while you’re using vanish mode, you’ll be notified. You can send memes, GIFs or reactions without it staying in your chat history. To enable this feature just swipe up in an existing chat thread – and you’re in vanish mode. Swipe up again and you’re back to your regular chat.
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