Facebook has rolled out a major update to its family of Portal smart displays that adds new features and services, including, most notably, WhatsApp.
Now, you can log into Portal with their WhatsApp account to make video calls and access features like Story Time, even if you don’t have a Facebook account.
Additionally, Portal now supports Amazon Prime Video, allowing subscribers to sign into their accounts and stream content like The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and The Boys. Further, music playback has been added through Crave integration.
For more media options, the new ‘Mic Drop’ feature lets you sing along with popular song clips from the likes of the Backstreet Boys, Katy Perry and Cold Play and perform them on an AR stage during a call. A GIF snapshot can be saved from your performance to share with friends.
Meanwhile, ‘Watch Together’ allows you to view Facebook Watch content like Limetown and Returning the Favor in sync with a friend.
Finally, Photo Booth lets you take selfies and videos, add effects and share through Messenger. A video message can also be recorded as a sort of “voicemail” to play when you’re unable to pick up someone’s call.
Other miscellaneous new features include Workplace, which lets you connect with your co-workers when working outside of the office, and new AR-powered stories in Story Time, like Little Red Riding Hood and Goldilocks and the Three Bears.
These features are all available on Portal, Portal Mini, Portal+, and Portal TV.
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