Facebook May Give You A Second News Feed In An ‘Explore’ Tab

Updated on

Over a billion people check Facebook every day, contributing to its billion-dollar revenues. The tech company is at the top of the social media network, far ahead of both Snapchat and Twitter, and it wants to stay in the same position forever. And so it keeps coming up with new features, including Live Videos, Chatbots, Marketplace, Gameroom, and now possibly a new News Feed.

A second News Feed?

According to Mashable, a new tab carrying the name “Explore” is available on the most recent beta version of the Android app. Users can access the new tab on the top of the screen, and it can be seen as an alternative to the “Home Feed.”

Basically, the posts that are visible on the Explore section are the topics that are popular on the web and similar to the pages the user likes or follows. On the Explore section, users will also be able to see videos that they may be interested in.

Facebook could be testing the Explore tab on Android and iOS devices, but that does not mean that it will introduce the new feature widely. The testing may take time, and its public roll-out will solely depend on users’ reaction.  Facebook-owned Instagram already has a “Search & Explore” tab showing both videos and photos.

Facebook makes chatbots less chatty

Apart from the “Explore” tab, the social networking giant also introduced a feature to make chatbots more helpful. No one likes to chat with a bot. It is not only boring but also quite tiring sometimes, especially when you are running late for something.

Facebook Messenger added a new option for bot makers on Thursday to replace the in-app keyboard with menu-like options. Now users will not have to interact with a bot in the usual manner (over a series of texts); instead, they can communicate by tapping on the menu. The feeling is similar to using a food-ordering app.

The messaging app also added a few more features, including the ability for bots to upload attachments, a “Share in Messenger” button for in-app web pages, and customizable share messages that deep-link to the bot. Facebook may have added the new feature just in time, as recently, TechCrunch reported that online retailer Everlane is returning to the traditional form of communication – email – and dumping the chatbots.

Leave a Comment