As the world’s largest social media network, Facebook is used to being the leader in its space. So, when competition arises, Facebook is usually quick with a response and its newest feature is just that.
Facebook has now launched video comments, a feature that recognizes video creation and consumption as the future of the Internet. According to a study done by Cisco Visual Networking Index, video will make up 82% of all Internet traffic by 2020.
The feature is being seen as a response to the increasing popularity of Snapchat which accounts for over 10 million daily video views, outpacing Facebook’s daily totals.
The amazing part of this new feature is that the foundation for it was recently developed in a single day by a group of engineers during Facebook’s 50th Hackathon. The rest of the feature was developed and finalized over the past few months.
Its use is incredibly simple for users, as with most of Facebook’s features. In the comments sections, users simply hover over the camera feature where they’ll see the option to attach a photo or video. On a desktop, users will have to use a photo or video that’s already stored on their computer.
The feature, not yet available on mobile, will be part of the next update for the iOS and Android versions of the app.
This isn’t the first time Facebook has responded to competition with a similar feature. This past January, Facebook added live-streaming capabilities allowing users to broadcast live video similar to the broadcasting app, Periscope. That feature was updated in April by adding world maps of live broadcasts, reactions, and Snapchat-style live filters for users.
Time will tell if this video feature will allow Facebook to reach and surpass Snapchat in daily video use.
The competition in the online video market is becoming increasingly more crowded, and it appears Facebook is banking on their status as the largest network to drive them to the top in that space as well.
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