[mks_dropcap style=”letter” size=”48″ bg_color=”#ffffff” txt_color=”#000000″]A[/mks_dropcap]n update on the latest developments from apps on your phone. This edition features new emoji in iOS 10.2, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and WhatsApp. Scroll down to receive all the information you need.

Apple emoji
Ever had avocado toast and needed to share that with your besties using emoji? Fear no more, iOS 10.2 provides! Not only have they added an avocado emoji, but a champagne toast and a black heart have been added to the family. Interested in the full list? Check this out.

Facebook
Facebook has launched two new features: one for their main app and one for Messenger. For Facebook itself, they have created the opportunity for people to live stream in 360 degrees. With this, they are responding to Virtual Reality trend, which is getting more and more accessible for everyone, not just the technology elite. The question is how accessible the actual live streaming in 360 degrees, as not nearly everyone owns a camera suitable for it. Facebook does offer a method to build one yourself using camera equipment, so if you want to give it a try here’s your chance.

This may already be old news to you, but Facebook has taken games within Messenger to a whole new level. They once started with a simple basketball game that started by sending a basketball sticker. As of the end of last month, their new edition Instant Games allows you to play all sorts of games with your friends at just one tap at your screen.

Instagram
After Facebook and Twitter (Periscope), Instagram has now introduced live streaming to their list of features. iPhone users already have access to it, but Android and other users will have to wait a little longer. To go live, you swipe to ‘Stories’ in Instagram and search for the Live option. Viewers can send hearts and comments, similar to other live streaming services.

A little extra before the new year: you can generate your nine best Instagram posts of the past year via 2016bestnine.

Snapchat
This month, Snapchat came out with two new features to their popular platform. The first is a function that allows users to create group chats with their friends. So instead of having to send all of your friends the same message in different chats, you can now send a collective chat to all of them. One step closer to taking over WhatsApp, perhaps?

Besides that, they have collaborated with Shazam so you can now identify a song by pressing and holding on the camera screen whilst music is playing. On top of that, Snapchat saves the songs you’ve Shazam’ed

WhatsApp
Last but not least, Whatsapp is allegedly working on an additional function that allows users to revoke messages they’ve sent. This could be the ultimate solution to drunken texts. Unfortunately, there’s no indication as to when we’ll be expecting this new feature.

Cover: Rami Al-zayat