Facebook is reportedly working on a TV video chat device
- Wednesday, October 17th, 2018
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Facebook could be looking to add more video-related hardware to its recently announced Portal video chat device sooner rather than later.
According to Cheddar, citing people familiar with the matter, the social network is building a camera-equipped device for the TV which allows video calling and the ability to stream services such as Facebook’s own Watch video offering.
The project has been internally codenamed ‘Ripley’ and uses the same core technology as Facebook’s Portal to essentially transform a TV into a massive version of the Portal. The tech giant is said to be planning to unveil the device in the spring of 2019, though the project is still in development and these plans could change. 
Facebook unveiled the long-anticipated Portal device earlier this month. It features a smart camera, which pans and zooms to keep users in its field of view, and enables users to make calls to and from Messenger-enabled smartphones and tablets. It begins shipping next month.
