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Home / News / Don’t touch that home button: Facebook might be working on its own camera app

Don’t touch that home button: Facebook might be working on its own camera app

There's no escape from The Social Network's clutches

You might think you spend enough time on Facebook right now, but Mark Zuckerberg clearly thinks otherwise.

One way the company is considering keeping your eyes locked to your news feed is a stand-alone camera app, that would get people posting more pics to their profiles.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Facebook’s “Friend Sharing” team already has a prototype in the works, which lets you take and share photos, record video, and start livestreams – without leaving Facebook’s grasp.

Facebook already owns Instagram, which doesn’t have any problems getting people to stay glued to their photo feeds, but you still have to go through three or four steps before your snaps appear online.

Apparently, Facebook wants this new app to focus on more spur-of-the-moment photos and video clips. It sounds a lot like Snapchat – something Snapchat can’t be too happy about. 

Facebook tried something similar before with Slingshot, an app where photos would disappear after 24 hours, but it never really caught on.

There’s a good chance this new one won’t ever make it out of Facebook’s R&D labs, either.

It’s in the early stages right now, so we’ll have to wait to see if it earns a full launch, but seeing how Facebook is doing everything it can to keep you connected, there’s a good chance you’ll have another icon to add to your home screen soon.

Profile image of Tom Morgan-Freelander Tom Morgan-Freelander Deputy Editor

About

A tech addict from about the age of three (seriously, he's got the VHS tapes to prove it), Tom's been writing about gadgets, games and everything in between for the past decade, with a slight diversion into the world of automotive in between. As Deputy Editor, Tom keeps the website ticking along, jam-packed with the hottest gadget news and reviews.  When he's not on the road attending launch events, you can usually find him scouring the web for the latest news, to feed Stuff readers' insatiable appetite for tech.

Areas of expertise

Smartphones/tablets/computing, cameras, home cinema, automotive, virtual reality, gaming