Meta launches animated avatar calls on smartphones

Picture: Meta

If you’re worried about looking messy on a video call in your pajamas, Meta’s smartphone avatar calls have you covered.

Meta’s recently released avatar calls make “video calling” on smartphones a little more relaxed. If you’re feeling shy, you can join the conversation in real time with your 3D avatar instead of the camera image. Or in the form of a pet that mimics your facial movements. The app analyzes your image and animates the virtual alter ego’s eyes and features accordingly.

The avatar calls support both iOS and Android, in Facebook, Whatsapp, Instagram, as well as Horizon Workrooms and Horizon Worlds.

Meta avatars now resemble Quest avatars

Also new are personalized, animated 3D avatars that are available as stickers in text chat – from a sassy little kiss to a classic laughing fit on the floor. You can share them on Instagram, in Facebook Stories and Reels, in Facebook comments, and in 1:1 message threads on Messenger and Instagram.

Tea VR avatars for Meta Quest have also received a facelift. They now match the look of the characters used on the flat screen. According to Meta, the virtual reality avatars now look less silly and aren’t as oversized.

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