As messaging apps become increasingly visual, Facebook Messenger is now allowing users to share high-resolution photos while chatting with friends. On Tuesday, November 21, Facebook announced an updated version of Messenger that supports image sharing at a 4K resolution, rather than getting downsized to 2K. The Messenger update comes at the same time PayPal is expanding their Messenger add-ons to include the ability to send an invoice within the platform.
With the update, Messenger now supports sending and receiving images that are up to 4,096 pixels in each direction. Despite the added resolution, Facebook says sending images through the messaging app will be just as fast as when those same photos were downsized.
4K is the resolution of many smartphone cameras, Facebook says, so the added ability allows users to see more detail in photos shared in Messenger. That could be pretty significant since the company says users share 17 billion images on Messenger every month. All users need to do to send a 4K photo is to make sure the app is updated before hitting the camera icon inside of a conversation.
Facebook says messaging is becoming more visual and that the use of images allows users to be more emotional and expressive — and it’s hard to disagree. From Snapchat to Messenger’s own redesign to focus on camera features, sending friends a message is no longer just typing a few words.
The enhanced resolution support is available by updating the Messenger app for users in the U.S., Canada, France, Australia, the U.K., Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan and South Korea. The feature will roll out to additional countries over the next few weeks, Facebook said.
PayPal’s Messenger Extension also recently launched the ability to send invoices via Messenger. The tool allows users to exchange money without leaving Messenger by using PayPal’s One Pay. Users can send invoices by choosing PayPal from the Messenger extensions menu. After creating the invoice in the app and sending, the recipient can hit the “Pay with PayPal” button and pay much in the same way as checking out with PayPal when shopping online. The tool expands the PayPal Messenger extension that also allows sending money to friends.
