This week Facebook issues a flurry of mobile updates, including some new features to improve Messenger. As for the critically-panned (but much-downloaded) Android apperating system, Home, Facebook finally rolled out an update for the app.
But that’s not it: There have been a handful of other updates Facebook eked out this week – here they are, in case you missed them.
Facebook emjois roll out to everyone
If you’ve published a status update recently, you’ll have noticed the brand new smiley face button asking how you’re feeling. Now they’ve been rolled out en masse to the desktop and mobile apps, reports Inside Facebook. And when it comes to mobile and mobile messaging, there are even more options. The social network has rolled out the entire set of emjois that you can access by clicking on the smiley face within the smartphone app.
[Photo via Inside Facebook]
Facebook stickers added to Messenger
Stickers have been made available in Facebook’s main app inside the in-app messenger, but it’s finally rolling out to Messenger for iOS and Android. A new set of extra stickers called “Skullington” have appeared in the “sticker” store, which are free for now.
Alongside this update to Messenger, there are a few extra new additions. Photo filters make its way to the app but are limited to photos shared in private and group messages. Messenger’s contact info page has been upgraded to parallel Facebook’s main app, and users can now swipe to delete messages.
[Photo via Inside Facebook]
Facebook may acquire GPS navigation app Waze
Israeli publication Calcalist reports that Facebook is in discussions with mobile navigation service Waze and the price of the acquisition may reach $1 billion. Calcalist adds that the deal is currently in the negotiation phase, which means nothing is for certain and it could fall apart or Waze could sell to a higher bidder.
The app tracks its users’ location data via GPS and sources the latest traffic data from its users in real-time, while allowing Waze to track their current location. Should the deal go through, it’s speculated that Facebook will acquire Waze’s data to boost engagement and time spent on its site, quite possibly by ramping up its mapping feature. Of course for an ad-driven company, Gartner research director Brian Blau tells The New York Times that Facebook would use Waze’s data to “deliver contextual advertising” based on user-location.
Bing deepens its relationship with Facebook
Last year, Microsoft rolled out a social sidebar. Then Bing integrated Quora, which surfaced people you might know or even people who might be experts on the topic you’re searching for. Since then Bing’s social sidebar has undergone a few changes, but the latest adds a Facebook widget that surfaces any relevant Facebook posts from your friends, including the comments, about the topics that you’re searching for. This section in the social sidebar enables users to like or comment on a Facebook post, if you wish.
The point of the feature is to help you get more engaging, or on-the-spot answers from your friends for the things you’re searching for. But if you don’t want to have your Facebook posts paraded around in search results, you can always adjust your privacy settings.
1 in 3 teens are Facebook friends with their mother
1 in 3 teens are Facebook friends with their motherWhile it might seem surprising, a large portion of Facebook teens are friends with their mothers. In fact, based on the study, 1 in 3 teens are friends with their mother and 65 percent of teens initiate the friend request. 20 year-old Facebook users, on the other hand, initiated the request just 40 percent of the time.
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