Better late than never, as they say. Facebook today announced Avatars, a feature that lets you customise a virtual lookalike of yourself to be used in your social postings and chats. First introduced in Australia, New Zealand, Europe, and Canada, it is now available in the US.
First popularised by Snapchat with Bitmoji, many companies have jumped on the bandwagon. Apple in 2018 introduced its own rendition Memoji to complement its Animoji characters. Samsung and Google also rolled out their own versions, as well as other smartphone makers like Huawei and Honor.
This form of self-expression has proved popular with users especially gamers, with Snapchat even launching Bitmoji TV—an animated series that puts your Bitmoji avatar in different animated stories.
Facebook’s avatars can be used in comments, Stories, and Messenger, and soon text posts with backgrounds, explained Facebook’s Fidji Simo. They can also be displayed on your Facebook Gaming profile.
“It’s important to us that you can personalize your avatar so it represents your unique, authentic self, which is why we’re also adding in a new range of customizations, too — such as new hairstyles, complexions, and outfits,” Simo said.
Make your Avatar now
To get started with Avatars, simply head to the comment composer in Facebook or Messenger, tap on the smiley button, then the sticker tab. Select “Make Your Avatar.” After you’ve created your avatar, you can return to edit it at any time.
Have fun!
VIA TechCrunch
