Facebook's developing 'avatars' that totally aren't Bitmoji at all
Facebook is working on customizable cartoon user avatars, a totally original concept that is not similar to Snapchat's Bitmoji in any way.
Twitter user Jane Manchun Wong spotted the feature in the code of Facebook's Android app, first reported by TechCrunch.
Much like Bitmojis (which, again, are not these at all), you'll be able to send stickers featuring your new avatar in comments and messages.
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Facebook hasn't indicated when the feature will begin testing.
Cartoon avatars are a definitely becoming a thing for Facebook. The social network has been heavily invested in Facebook Spaces' VR avatars lately, and it has upgraded them a couple of times to make them more realistic and customizable. Facebook also recently announced a way to automatically generate them via AI.
It's possible Facebook Avatars could be generated automatically from a picture of a user's face in the same way. Still, we wouldn't be surprised if users will instead create these avatars the old-fashioned way, by adding traits to a blank starter face. You know, definitely not the way you create a Bitmoji.
UPDATE: May 8, 2018, 2:21 p.m. EDT A Facebook spokesperson sent Mashable the following statement: "“We’re looking into more ways to help people express themselves on Facebook.”
Topics Facebook Social Media
Monica wrote for Mashable's Tech section with a focus on retail, internet of things, and the intersections of technology and social justice. She holds a degree in creative writing from Brown University, and has previously written for Dow Jones Media, the New York Post, Yahoo Finance, and others. In her free time, she can be found attempting to cook Asian food, buying board games, and looking for new hobbies.
