Messenger (Facebook Messenger, that is) is getting some new features. Meta announced a number of changes to the app in a Wednesday blog post, all having to do with video and audio calls. Three of these features seem great, one is fine, and one is useless.
Here's what you can expect to see next time you update Messenger and place a video or audio call.
The best of the changes is pretty straightforward: Meta is now offering HD video calls, which is a bit of a no-brainer for 2024. Given all our devices now have high-quality cameras, it's rather odd it took Meta so long to bump up the quality of Messenger's video calls. Nevertheless, video calls going forward should look sharper.
That said, while HD calls are enabled when you're chatting over wifi, they're disabled by default for cellular calls—likely in an attempt to avoid complaints from users about high data usage. However, if you have an unlimited data plan or just love to waste money on overage charges, you can change that in your call settings: During a video call, tap the three dots in the top right, choose Call settings, then enable Mobile data for HD video.
Also helpful are noise suppression and voice isolation options for video calls. Meta doesn't go into much detail about these features, but they've become largely standard with other video calling platforms. Noise suppression cuts out background noise in your call, while voice isolation puts the emphasis on your speech, rather than any other sounds occurring around you.
It does appear Meta is using iOS' built-in Voice Isolation feature, at least from what's stated in the blog post. It's not clear whether the feature also works on Android, although Meta doesn't specify it is platform-specific.
Meta says you can also enable these options from call settings when engaged in a video call.
If Messenger is your go-to messaging app, the lack of Siri support has likely long been a bit frustrating. Siri will happily craft a text for you for Apple's Messages app, or place a FaceTime call on your behalf, but if you wanted to message or call someone on Meta's platform, all Siri could do was open the app for you.
That's changing: Siri is now integrated with Messenger, so you can ask the assistant to message or call someone on Messenger, just as you would with Messages. You'll just need to remember to specify that when you talk to Siri: Omitting the app name will result in a call or text being sent via Apple Messages anyway.
If someone doesn't pick up your audio or video call, Messenger now lets you record an audio or video message for them explaining why you were calling in the first place. (Yes, Meta has recreated the answering machine.)
This is a nice addition in theory, but to be honest, I've never found much purpose in this capability. Apple added a similar feature to FaceTime in iOS 17, and I've probably used it all of one time in the years since. In most cases, it just makes more sense to send a quick text to the recipient, or wait for them to call back. But hey, if you like leaving voicemails, you might like this new feature.
I suppose I'd be remiss not to mention Meta's new AI backgrounds for video calls—although I will never use them myself. You can tap the effects icon and choose "Backgrounds" to request whatever background image you want Meta AI to create. It's AI art, but for your video call background. What else is there to say?
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