Facebook Portal: Sh20,000 and Sh35,000 video calling devices launched

Facebook has now turned to hardware, and on October 8 launched the social media firm’s first physical devices which it says will be for home use to allow connectivity with friends and family.

The Portal, and the Portal+, are the company’s two new range of video calling devices which rely on artificial intelligence (AI) technology which according to Facebook makes the devices engaging and allows for voice recognition utilisation.

Today we're excited to introduce @PortalFacebook to everyone. Come say hi and check out https://t.co/jQuzzc97CK to learn more. pic.twitter.com/PzlTQDi6NI

— Facebook (@Facebook) October 8, 2018

“Portal’s Smart Camera and Smart Sound technology take all of the guesswork out of video calling, letting you enjoy a more convenient, hands-free experience,”  Facebook said in a statement on October 8.

Portal is available at around Ksh20,000, while the Portal+ will retail from Ksh35,000.

The devices come on the back of revelations of a major data breach that has seen the social media giant lose out on its aura of invincibility. With scandals ranging from Cambridge Analytica and its influence on elections across many countries, to the notion that the social network is used to propagate fake news, the popularity of Facebook has taken a hit as data protection takes center stage worldwide.

Bloomberg reported earlier in the year that Portal and Portal+ were set to be released in May, but were delayed due to public outrage over the social networking site’s data practices.

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Analysts project that Facebook’s timing of the launch — so soon after the company revealed a data breach that affected 50 million accounts  — indicates the firm’s wait had reached maximum and that to tarry any longer would have probably meant the killing off of its first hardware device.

The move is also seen as a way of competing with the leading home devices firms such as Apple, Amazon and Google

Apart from Smart Camera and Smart Sound, the Portal and Portal+ also features voice control plus Alexa, and the ability to connect with Facebook friends via Messenger even if they do not have the Portal. The social media giant also said the devices have been built with privacy and security in mind.

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