Facebook app for iOS gets voice and video recording, voice message support and improved Nearby tab

The Facebook app for iOS has gotten the ability to record voice and video right in the app, as well as Messenger’s voice messaging support and an improved Nearby tab. Voice messages originally showed up in the iOS and Android versions of Facebook’s Messenger apps, and later VoIP calling was added to those apps in the US and Canada. Now, the voice messaging capabilities have come directly to the main Facebook apps for iOS as well. Sending a message in the app now gives you the ability to record a voice message  to send directly to the recipient, and also gives access to the camera to allow for still shots or video clips to be recorded and sent.

 

  When you tap on the record button, the recording begins immediately, allowing you to send the message by simply releasing the button. If you swipe off of the button while recording, you can release to cancel it, similar to the way that any other button on iOS cancels an action but with a nice visual cue.

The ability to record and post video right from within the app is also a new feature with the latest version. A new Nearby tab has cleaned up the interface significantly and offers a more Foursquare-like interface for finding interesting things to see and do based on Facebook’s Knowledge Graph.

  The content of the Nearby tab has yet to show the refinement and usefulness of Foursquare though. There are simply too many random entries that reference someone’s personal checkins in your network. You’re not so much interested in someone’s backyard deck as you might be in a public venue for food or entertainment. In this aspect, at least, Facebook’s local search efforts continue to exist as a side note to its other efforts like photo and video messaging.

➤ Facebook for iOS

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