Facebook adds Stories and other features to app as it completes Snapchat clone job

At what point do Facebook decide just to start welcoming people to Snapchat 2.0 when they open its apps? The social network’s latest batch of Snapchat features include Stories, the ability to share photos and videos directly with someone for a limited time and camera effects for its new in-app camera.

Having already rolled out Stories clones to Instagram, WhatsApp and Messenger over the last seven or so months, Facebook has completed the full set by introducing Stories its main app. The Facebook app’s Stories clone enables users to hare multiple photos and videos as part of a collection that sits at the top of the news feed. These photos and videos, which disappear after 24 hours, won’t appear in the user’s timeline unless the post them there too.

In addition, Facebook will enable users to share directly with friends and family so only they can see the photo and/or video for a limited period. Facebook Direct – smart eh? – will enable friends to view a photo or video once and replay it or write a reply. Once the conversation on the photo or video is over, the content will disappear.

Finally, Facebook is rolling out an in-app camera to its main app, which can be accessed via the camera icon in the top left corner or by swiping right from the news feed. This camera features effects like masks, frames and filters that can be applied to photos and videos.

“We hope that with the new Facebook camera, Stories and Direct, it will be easier than ever to see the world through each other’s eyes, and we can’t wait to see the photos and videos you create,” said Connor Hayes, Facebook product manager, in a post.

Guess the eyes people will be looking through will be Snapchat’s.