Facebook unveiled new models of video chat machines (Portal), one of which is intended for use with televisions. The launch of the new models comes at a time when Facebook is trying to focus on more private forms of communication, after years of slower user growth, data sharing scandals, and calls to change its unusual approach to content management.

Facebook is already one of the world’s largest private messaging players, with more than 2.4 billion monthly social media users, over 1 billion WhatsApp instant messaging and Instagram photo sharing.

Facebook announced three devices: Portal Mini with an 8-inch screen, Portal with a 10-inch display, and Portal TV: a new device that uses TVs to display content.

Portal is now available in many countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, France, Italy, Spain, Australia and New Zealand, Facebook said in a blog post. They are available at $ 129 for the Portal Mini, $ 179 for the Portal, and $ 149 for the Portal TV.

The company added that the new devices support video calling through its application: Messenger, and has become support via WhatsApp service, and the advantage of cameras that support wide-ranging photography, and it maintains the focus on the user during the movement in the room.

The company hopes that the social nature of its products will attract users to them, it allows them to watch offers during video calling. She says devices protect users’ privacy such as local processing of smart features, meaning that user data stays on devices and is not stored on Facebook servers.

As for the new Portal TV, it supports a small number of music applications and some TV services, which means that it will not be a strong competitor to existing TV platforms, such as (Apple TV), Netflix, and Roco.

Source : Facebook