In addition to Messenger, hot topics at F8 are likely to include Live Video, virtual reality-since the company owns Oculus VR, which last month launched its highly anticipated Rift headset-and 360-degree video, instant articles, monetizing apps, new areas of improvement in Facebook’s attempts at bringing connectivity to the developing world, and much more. Instead of sharing links, the two apps are now integrated in a way that allows you to browse your files within Messenger, select the one you want to share, and then hit send. But it doesn’t yet offer a distinguishing label or badge for partners that can use Messenger as well.
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The step would follow on the company’s Messenger news that dominated last year’s F8, when it announced the Messenger platform, allowing developers to integrate the communication tool’s features directly into their iOS and Android apps. The idea is that businesses on Messenger could use them to interact with customers with automated response systems that could help boost sales. According to a presentation shared with chatbot developers, Facebook refers to such chatbots as Structured Messages. It is also working on “Message Us” type buttons that can be integrated into Facebook pages to pop open a chat.
Any Messenger-related announcements at F8 would come on the heels of a host of business-related features for the application announced by Facebook Thursday. For instance, if a particular product that a customer is looking for is no longer in stock, the brand could notify the user once stocks are replenished.
Case in point: Facebook Live, a rival to Twitter’s Periscope, is getting a major push from Facebook so more of its members shoot and watch live-streaming video on mobile devices.
Next is Facebook videos.
Dropbox support for Messenger will roll out in increments, so if you don’t see it right away, sit tight – it should be on the way! Oculus’ first product has already begun shipping, so Facebook could conceivably reveal sales numbers or speak about what it plans to do next with the technology. The social media giant may help the developers to counter the hurdles similar to the ones it faced in India. Audience Network was company’s take to proliferate mobile advertising opportunities beyond the social networking website.
Facebook Inc.’s (NASDAQ:FB) F8 Conference is to be held on April 12 and 13 at the Fort Mason Centre, San Francisco.
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In a blog post Facebook said: “Messaging an organisation directly is a fast and convenient way for people to get in touch with questions about products and services, appointments, customer service questions and more”. Now that AI bots have made their debut on the social network, his vision could very soon become a reality.
