Facebook testing facial-recognition feature for sending pics to friends

PanARMENIAN.Net - Facebook is testing out Photo Magic, a new facial-recognition feature that prompts users to send photos via Messenger directly to the people in the shots, Engadget reports.

The test hits Australia on Tuesday, November 10, on Android, with an iOS rollout planned for later this week. Photo Magic uses the same tech as Facebook's Moments and tag-suggestion features, and for your friends to receive photos of themselves, they need to have Moments installed.

When you open the updated Messenger app, it'll scan your smartphone's camera roll (after you give it permission to do so) and select a snap that features you and some Facebook friends. You can then send it to those folks with one tap; Messenger will open up a new group thread if there are multiple people in the shot. After that, if you take a photo with some Facebook buddies, Messenger will offer the option to send it right to them.

Of course, users can opt out of facial recognition in Facebook's settings page. Photo Magic should make its way to countries outside of Australia within a few months.