Tags: #Facebook  #Facebook F8  #FacebookDevelopers  

For those of you scratching their head or trying to search for Facebook F8, it is a mostly-annual conference held by Facebook. F8 is a hub for the developers and entrepreneurs who use the platform to build products and services. The major announcements for Facebook and all its other apps, for the next year, is usually done in the two days that this event takes place. This year the conference is being held at the McEnery Convention Center in San Jose, California.

The products and features announced on the first day of the F8 2018 are futuristic, to say the least. With all the controversies surrounding the Facebook platform, the early precedence was taken by the small matter of user privacy. The new features that they announced on Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp were not a revelation but they are bound to make these apps more interesting and engaging. However, the most intriguing part of this event was the announcement of 3D images and virtual reality into the Facebook platform.

Following are the major announcements made on the first day of Facebook F8 2018 conference:

  1. Data Privacy: If you followed the much-publicized trial of Facebook regarding Cambridge Data Analytica then this portion will not be brand new to you. Facebook says that they are limiting the data that developers can use and they are trying to track down apps that may have recorded a large amount of data before 2014 (the year when they made required changes to protect user data). However, the announced “Clear History” feature allows the user to see the websites and apps that they have been directed to and clear this information.

  2. Facebook Dating: “Tinder ripoff” might be the first impression everyone gets. However, the way Facebook is thinking of implementing this is no short of amazing. The user needs to create a separate dating profile and can browse for groups of their interest. They will then, get to select a potential partner with similar interests. Facebook says this is going to feel like a separate entity from Facebook and the potential match will be someone the user does not have as a friend. All the interaction is done through private messages. Finally, a dating app that will let people see the inner beauty of the other person.
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  3. WhatsApp Updates: WhatsApp will have a group video calling feature soon. Yeah! It may not seem significant but a feature that is bound to excite the 1.5 billion-plus users.

  4. Instagram Updates: Instagram seems to be the younger child who will get multiple gifts this Christmas. Group video calling will be added and users can minimize video chatting to continue surfing Instagram feeds. If you want your friends to know what you are listening to then you can upload a sticker of what you’re listening to directly from your Spotify app. You can also share any videos on your GoPro directly to your IG account. They are also implementing a Bully filter which is a Comment Filtering Technology that hides language intended to hurt or upset people.

  5. Oculus Go: This is where things escalated quicker than expected. Not only was it the launch of Oculus Go but also of Oculus Venues. Oculus Venue will be your live ticket to live events in VR like concerts, sports, movie screenings among others.oculus-go-new-image-1024x529

  6. Facebook 3D Posts: Starting next month, click a photo from your smartphone and upload it as a 3D photo. Then with one click, bring a 3D object from a post to your world through their Augmented Reality technology. Can it get any more exciting and innovative?

Facebook has more than 2.2 billion users and it seems they are not satisfied by that number at all. With these announcements, Facebook has proved why they are the best and will remain the best. Virtual reality and Augmented reality was just catching fire and Facebook is looking to spread it further than ever with their massive platform. Although some of their updates are already available somewhere, it provides freshness to household apps used by billions. Facebook’s growth was somewhat mythical, unlike anything anyone has seen and looks like it is set to continue.