Facebook reportedly working on a video chat device

As per a report by Bloomberg, Facebook is working on a dedicated video chat hardware. Featuring a laptop-sized touchscreen, the device represents a new product category and could be announced as soon as next spring’s F8 developer conference, according to people familiar with the matter. The device is in the prototype phase but is already being tested in people’s homes.

Bloomberg says the video chat gadget will include a wide-angle camera, built-in microphones, and speakers, with artificial intelligence tech used to improve its photographic (offering zoom and lock features on people’s faces) and audio performance.

Bloomberg’s report also claims Building 8 is developing a separate smart speaker (in the low $100 range) product, similar to Amazon’s Echo and Google Home, which would use a voice assistant developed by the social network provider. The company is also developing a 360-degree camera for the device, but this is apparently unlikely to be ready in time for the initial launch.

Last year, the " target="_blank">Building 8 lab was set up to help Facebook develop its own hardware and keep consumers locked into its ecosystem -- the news feed, Facebook live, video calling and more. Building 8 is staffed with hardware veterans and led by former Google executive Regina Dugan. Speaking at the most recent F8 conference in April, Dugan said the goal was to “create and ship new, category-defining consumer products that are social first.” She spoke about how technology has made it easier to connect but also has confined people to their phones so that they don’t interact with the physical world as much.

Because the standalone speaker concept has already been popularized, Facebook could abandon it and prioritize the video chat device instead.