Different platforms are not only fighting for your attention and usage, but they are also competing against each other. The more users they can attract, the better it is for their targeted advertising, leading to more revenue. In a bid to stay ahead of the pack, Facebook has taken the cute and whimsical idea of an emoji and turned it on its head by adding sound. Keep reading to find out what Sondmoji is all about.

Here’s the backstory

The social media giant unveiled recently what it calls a Soundmoji. These are like emojis but in audio form. So instead of sending a laughing cartoon image through Facebook Messenger, you can now send the sound of laughter. The company launched the new functionality just before World Emoji Day on July 17. “We’re launching an entire Soundmoji library for you to choose from, which we’ll update regularly with new sound effects and famous sound bites. Each sound is represented by an emoji, keeping the visual emojis we all love in play while bringing sound into the mix,” Facebook explains.

How to use Soundmoji

The usage is nearly the same as with any standard emoji on the Facebook Messenger platform.

Open the Messenger app and tap to start a conversation.Tap on the smiley face in the text bar to open the expressions menu.In the row for GIFs and emojis, tap on the loudspeaker.This will display all the available Soundmoji, and you can preview each one before sending.

So, what sounds can you send to your friends and family? Facebook is in the process of adding more sounds, but on launch, you can send clapping, crickets, drumroll and evil laughter. The company has also partnered with NBC, Netflix and Universal to allow short clips from productions like “F9,” “Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” and “Bridgerton.” Speaking of “Fast & Furious,” Messenger recently also released a tie-in update for fans of the movie franchise. Available exclusively to the platform, Movie Mate is a “first-of-its-kind ‘second screen’ chat experience.” It also features a custom 360-degree background and ‘F9’ chat theme. When you are streaming the latest installment of the “Fast & Furious” saga, the app’s add-on “answers movie watchers’ burning questions and offers never-before-seen photos and footage in real-time as they’re streaming,” Facebook explained.

Now you want to hear them, right? Hit play below

Keep reading

True or false: Someone can see if you looked at their Facebook profile 9 apps caught stealing Facebook passwords – Delete them now