Meta brings real-time Avatar calls to Instagram & Messenger

According to Meta, this option is for people who are not ‘camera-ready’ to be on video during a call.

Published on: Jul 13, 2023, 13:49:09 IST

By HT News Desk, New Delhi

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Meta's ‘Avatar’ feature can now be used for real-time calls on Instagram and Messenger, the Mark Zuckerberg-helmed social media giant has announced.

Meta launched Avatars in December last year, bringing it first to WhatsApp (Image courtesy: Meta)

Avatar was launched in December last year, with the Meta-owned WhatsApp being its first destination. Later, it was extended to the company's Facebook and Instagram applications.

Also Read | Meta launches ‘Avatars’ for WhatsApp: All you need to know about the feature

Why the update?

Making the announcement on July 11, Meta noted how there are times when a person may not be camera-ready. This option, therefore, allows users to be off-camera, but be ‘represented’ by their avatar – their digital version – on the video call.

Additional Avatar updates

In the same blog post, the company announced a slew of additional updates for Avatars:

Animated Stickers: These can be shared in Instagram and Facebook Stories and Reels, Facebook comments, and one-on-one conversations on Messenger and Instagram.

Social stickers: These too can be shared in direct conversations between two users. Also, by @Tagging, you can add some of your friends to Facebook Stories; thus, your avatar and those of your friends, can hang out in the metaverse.

Create avatar in a jiffy: A new feature is being tested to make it easier for people to create their digital counterparts. Under this, they must take a selfie, and, from the generated selfie, Meta will suggest an option for your avatar.

Standardised look: Instead of having different avatars for each Meta platform, you will now sport a uniform avatar across all its apps.

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HT News Desk
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