Facebook will make it even easier to tell your friends what you're watching or listening to
There's an update coming down the pike for the official Facebook app that will enable users to automatically tag the music and TV that they're listening/watching in their status updates. As demoed in the video above, the system works by tapping a button when creating a new status — not unlike the "moods" feature Facebook added last year, and then it uses audio ID software to identify the music, TV show, or movie that is blasting its sounds into your vicinity, and then tags your status with that information.
Facebook is touting this as an easier way to share your favorite entertainment, but it's also about making Facebook money. Your friends that view the status will be able to get a 30-second preview of a song, or get linked to the episode of a TV Show you're watching so Facebook can get some affiliate revenue should the choose to buy it.
Tagging your posts with your media is option, and it appears that Facebook only starts listening once you tap that button. You don't have to use it, and you won't be accosted with it every time you go to create a new status on your phone. The feature is US only for now, and should be coming to the official Facebook app for iOS and Android in the next few weeks.
Facebook's not revealed if they've partnered with somebody more experience in the field of audio ID to make the media tagging feature possible. The media set of music, TV, and movies does have a lot in common with Shazam. It's worth noting that Android users already have a music ID feature built in with Google Now's "What's this song", and iOS 8 is rumored to be getting audio ID in Siri thanks to a partnership with Shazam.
What do you think — is a faster media tagging experience going to help your Facebook status updates?
Source: Facebook
Master your iPhone in minutes
iMore offers spot-on advice and guidance from our team of experts, with decades of Apple device experience to lean on. Learn more with iMore!
Derek Kessler is Special Projects Manager for Mobile Nations. He's been writing about tech since 2009, has far more phones than is considered humane, still carries a torch for Palm, and got a Tesla because it was the biggest gadget he could find. You can follow him on Twitter at @derekakessler.