Facebook is expanding the use of messenger rooms by making it easier to use the feature. As reported by Engadget this is in a bit to entice users into using messenger rooms more regularly.
Messenger rooms first launched back in April. At this time you did not need messenger installed to access the feature. You could simply join or launch a video call through a link on your News Feed or in Group and event pages.
Over the last few months, Facebook has continuously added features in order to make the feature more appealing. Back in July, it allowed users to live stream their group calls through messenger rooms. The idea was to allow people to better operate during the pandemic.
Integration with WhatsApp was also reported back in April. This was after Facebook messenger rooms code was found in WhatsApp which indicated that the feature was expanding. Nothing further has come this since, but it is clear that Facebook wants to push messenger rooms as much as possible.
Facebook makes it easier to use Messenger Rooms through the app
The general purpose of this move it so make it easier to use messenger rooms through messenger itself. The company has introduced a much more comprehensive interface for the feature. This means that in messenger it will be much easier to create Rooms.
You could create rooms previously in messenger, however, this has overhauled the system. Now you can customize rooms with an activity name. The app will also suggest one if you do not want to go to the trouble of picking one.
The UI will also allow you to set a future start date for your group chat and manage your invite list. Previously, these were things you could only do through News Feed but now they can be done through messenger.
Facebook, is also giving users more options when it comes to customizing their Messenger Rooms. Users will be able to set a custom background through uploaded photos. You can also use a video as a background, although we are not quite sure why you would want to do this as it would only confuse whoever you are chatting with.
The roll out of the new rooms creation systems begins as of August 27. It will start on mobile but come to desktop over the coming months. Custom backgrounds, however, should be available in the coming weeks.
Clearly, Facebook wants to push Messenger Rooms as much as possible and are doing everything they can to make them popular. Hopefully, this more aligned UI system will go some way to achieving this.