Facebook Messenger is introducing a new feature to the Messenger Camera known as World Effects. This allows people to drop 3D objects in their surroundings and interact with digital objects in their physical spaces. That sounds an awful lot like augmented reality and another Snapchat-like feature.
You can show your love for something something with a 3D heart ❤ or point at something with an arrow🔼. 3D objects like a unicorn, fun word bubbles like “love”, “bae”, “miss you” a robot and more will also be available along with music.
World Effects technology enables you to drop 3D objects into your surroundings to capture and share fun moments with your family and friends. For example, add a 3D heart floating over someone’s head and then try panning your phone’s camera from side to side. Or use an arrow to point to an exact object or location in a panorama so your friend knows what you’re referring to. Or better yet, add a new fun, celebratory robot to an otherwise every-day setting and spice things up a bit. (Hint: be sure to try the robot out with your phone’s volume turned up – the robot plays 3 different kinds of music!)
The new feature is launching with a handful of World Effects to people around the world with more slated to arrive in the future. To add a World Effect, open the Messenger Camera (from your inbox or from inside an existing conversation by tapping the camera icon), and then scroll to choose from the camera effects. Pick an effect and then tap to add it to your image.
Facebook hopes you use World Effects to bring joy and delight to your communications, especially during Christmas / holiday time as we communicate more than ever with friends and family or even make new connections.
