Facebook Will Now Allow Animated Profile Pictures
The social media giant, Facebook, will now introduce an option for users to record a seven-second video clip in GIF-style to replace static photos as the user's profile picture.
Facebook will introduce the new feature first for "a small number of iPhone users" in California and the United Kingdom, according The Telegraph UK. The website also reported that Facebook plans to roll out the new feature to other smartphone users soon.
The social network calls the new feature as "profile videos." Facebook users can film the video clip using the app, which can be uploaded as their profile picture. While the "profile videos" are not technically GIFs, they are seemingly the same style as that of animated pictures.
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Facebook has actually started to embrace GIFs before. The social media website has added support for GIFs earlier this year as reported by Wired. "On News Feed and profiles, we're seeing people create and view more videos than ever before. Today we're starting to test the next step in an obvious evolution of profiles: profile videos. Soon, you'll be able to film a short, looping video clip that will play for anyone who visits your profile. Profile videos will let show a part of yourself you couldn't before, and add a new dimension to your profile," Facebook said.
Besides the new "profile videos" feature, Facebook will also be introducing another feature that will allow temporary profile pictures. With this feature, the temporary profile picture of the Facebook user will automatically revert back to the original image after a certain period.
The feature is ideal for those who are going away for a holiday, and even useful for campaigns like the rainbow filter that Facebook offered last June to celebrate Pride.
The new feature only works so far for those who have the update, which are a number of selected Facebook apps for iPhone users. No official word was released by Facebook yet on when the new feature will be available to other users.
