This is when you'll get the new Facebook apps and features announced at F8 – CNET

Facebook is holding its annual developer conference, F8, this week. During the opening keynote on Tuesday, CEO Mark Zuckerberg assured users the company is focusing on privacy and touted a new mantra: “The future is private.” 

In addition to trying to convince users the company has begun to take privacy seriously, there were plenty of new features, apps and product announcements. 

Nearly every Facebook product was touched on during the keynote. From the Facebook app and website to Instagram or WhatsApp, Facebook is making improvements across the board. 

Exactly when you will see those new changes, apps and improvements is a bit of a mystery. We’ve tried to narrow it down the best we can.

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Facebook’s F8 developers conference highlights



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Fresh Facebook design

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Facebook’s new website looks pretty slick. 


Facebook

FB5, as the company is calling it, is the site’s fifth major design refresh. There are two parts to the new design, the mobile app and the website. The new design gets rid of all the blue that Facebook is known for, replacing it with white space.

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Facebook’s new mobile app design. 


Facebook

The mobile portion of that has already started rolling out to Android and iPhone users, and according to Facebook, the rollout will continue “over the coming months.”

I was able to get the new design on an iPhone after force-closing the Facebook app a few times. On Android, however, I have been unable to force the app to change over to the new design.

The desktop redesign won’t be available until later this year. The official line from Facebook is “in the next few months.”

Messenger goodies

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Facebook’s new Messenger app will be here later this year. 


Facebook

Facebook Messenger is set to receive a healthy dose of improvements and updates, but we’re going to have wait until “later this year.”

Facebook is rebuilding the Messenger app, in an effort to make it faster and more reliable. Along with the rebuilt app, Facebook is adding a way for you to watch videos with Messenger contacts during a video chat in a feature called Watch Together. There’s also a pair of Messenger desktop apps in the works for Windows and MacOS that will have the full suite of Messenger features. Finally, there will be a new close friends section in Messenger that make it easier to find stories and messages from those you talk to the most.

Improvements to Groups

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Facebook Groups will soon be easier to find and share posts with. 


Facebook

Facebook Groups, both public and private, is starting to get updates right now. The first change you’ll see is a new Groups tab in the Facebook mobile app. Right now, the Groups tab doesn’t look all that different, but in the next few months, we’ll start to see more new features.

For example, instead of having to purposely seek out a group based on your interests, Facebook will proactively suggest groups for you to join. Other improvements include chatrooms for gaming groups, health groups will have an option to post anonymously (through a group admin) and job groups will add the option to apply for a job through the listing.

The updates to groups won’t be a single push, but more of a steady stream of changes and tweaks.

Instagram updates

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Instagram’s new camera looks like Snapchat, doesn’t it? 


Facebook

Arguably the biggest update coming to Instagram will be in the form of a new camera. It will roll out in “the coming weeks.” The updated camera will add a Create Mode, and make it easier to use effects and stickers on your Instagram posts.

Oculus headsets

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The Oculus Quest is completely wireless.


Scott Stein/CNET

Two new Oculus headsets are available for preorder right now and will begin shipping on May 21. You can read more about the headsets differences between the Oculus Rift S and Oculus Quest here, and all of the Oculus preorder details here

We also have a full review of the new Oculus Quest, which Scott Stein called “the best thing I’ve tried this year.”

http://www.cnet.com/


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Portal updates

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Facebook Portal will get filters and new video features this summer. 


Facebook

This fall, the Facebook Portal, the company’s smart display, will begin shipping in Europe. Facebook didn’t provide a specific list of countries.

This summer, expect a new Portal app that will allow you to add photos to the SuperFrame feature directly from the camera roll. Also this summer, Facebook will add video messages, Flash Briefings, Amazon Prime Video and Facebook Live.

source: cnet.com