In a recent announcement, Meta unveiled that its users would now be able to utilize their avatars for engaging in video calls via Instagram and Messenger. This novel feature aims to offer a viable solution for those moments when users are unwilling or unsuitable to appear on camera, by animating the call with their avatar representations.
In a company blog post, Meta empathically highlighted the practical nature of the feature, stating, "We've all found ourselves in a situation where an incoming call finds us with disheveled hair or after an emotional moment. In scenarios like these, we're rarely ready for the camera. Introducing your Meta avatar, a solution that bridges the gap between switching the camera off and on, allowing you to maintain presence during a call without necessarily being seen."
This innovation could resonate positively with individuals who are disinclined to show their faces during certain video calls. However, some could perceive this as a peculiar and unnerving method of interaction, where simple voice calls would suffice.
The new functionality has been rolled out for both iOS and Android platforms.
In addition to the avatar-based calls, several other advancements related to avatars were part of Meta's announcement. Meta revealed it is trialing a simplified procedure for avatar creation for Facebook and WhatsApp, which allows users to take a real-time selfie to generate avatar suggestions. These AI-generated avatars can then be selected and further customized by users to accurately reflect their identities.
Moreover, Meta declared that its users can now share animated stickers featuring their avatars, across Instagram and Facebook Stories and Reels, Facebook comments, and private messaging threads on Messenger and Instagram. These stickers can portray your avatars involved in specific actions such as waving, dancing, or applauding.
In another major step forward, Meta is enabling users to involve their friends' avatars in stickers, paving the way for a more interactive social experience. Users can tag their friends in Facebook stories, allowing their avatars to share digital space in a sticker. This feature, aptly termed 'Social Stickers', facilitates users to share stickers of them and their friends in personal chat threads.
Meta has also made an effort to standardize the appearance of avatars across all its platforms, making them appear more proportionate and realistic. The company announced, 'We're focusing on establishing a uniform avatar look across our platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and WhatsApp. Undoubtedly, making them appear more lifelike also ensures avatars' clothes grab attention rather than disproportionately large caricatured heads.'
These updates follow the footsteps of the trend in the no-code platform industry. For instance, a platform such as AppMaster offers tools and systems that empower users to swiftly create mobile, web, and backend apps, by leveraging the power of a no-code app builder.
