Facebook has just released a series of new features for Messenger and Instagram, including a cross-platform group chat feature. This new feature will strengthen the integration between Instagram and Messenger.
Messenger and Instagram users have actually been able to exchange messages between platforms since last year. But with the cross-platform group chat feature, Instagram and Messenger users can join and chat in one group.
This update marks the progress of Facebook's ambition to unify all of its applications. As is known, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has long dreamed of integrating messaging between Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp.
In addition to the cross-platform group chat feature, Facebook has also released a series of other new features for Messenger and Instagram. One of them is the Polls feature, which will be available in Instagram and cross-platform group chats.
This feature was previously present in Messenger first. The Polls feature will make it easier for users to vote, for example, to choose which restaurant to eat together.
Facebook will also add an indicator in Messenger groups that shows if a member is typing a message. This indicator will also appear in cross-platform group chats, as quoted from TechCrunch, Monday (4/10/2021).
In addition, Instagram users get an exclusive new feature called 'Watch Together'. With this feature, users can video chat with their friends and watch Reels or IGTV videos together.
Facebook is also bringing in new chat themes for Instagram and Messenger, including 'Cottagecore' and rapper J Balvin's album cover theme. There is also an 'Astrology art suite' which contains astrology-themed themes, AR effects and sticker packs.
