Facebook Acquires Popular Live Filter iOS App 'MSQRD' - MacRumorsOpen MenuShow RoundupsShow Forums menuVisit ForumsOpen Sidebar
Skip to Content

Facebook Acquires Popular Live Filter iOS App 'MSQRD'

by

Apps that add real-time filters to selfies and videos are growing in popularity, and today Facebook announced the acquisition of the team behind MSQRD, a much-downloaded live filter app available on iOS and Android devices.

First introduced in January of 2016, MSQRD applies live filters to photos and videos captured with the iPhone's front-facing camera. It includes face swapping capabilities, along with a range of filters and masks that include celebrities, animals, and effects like larger eyes or rabbit ears. Filters like these have been gaining popularity in recent months following their implementation in Snapchat last fall.

msqrd
Apple has made an investment in similar technology, having purchased real-time motion capture firm Faceshift in 2015. Faceshift worked with game and animation studios on technology designed to quickly and accurately capture facial expressions using 3D sensors, which could be used to create real-time video avatars for video chat. It isn't clear what Apple will do with the technology, but it could potentially be incorporated into Photo Booth or FaceTime.

Though the technology has been acquired by Facebook, MSQRD will continue to be available on iOS devices as a standalone product. The app can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]

Top Rated Comments

jonnysods Avatar
134 months ago
My kids will love this app. They use snapchat and don't even take pics or have friends on their account. They just go through all the filters and laugh themselves silly.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JosephAW Avatar
134 months ago
Hurry and download app before it requires a fb account!
I have none and can't use apps that require fb access.
Also check out BitEmji. Can use regular email for that for now.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
134 months ago
What is FB's endgame in this??
To incorporate something from that app or from the technologies the developers of the app have created into one or more of Facebook's apps or services?
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
goobot Avatar
134 months ago
What is FB's endgame in this??
Instagram
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Tycho24 Avatar
134 months ago
What is FB's endgame in this??
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jclo Avatar
134 months ago
My kids will love this app. They use snapchat and don't even take pics or have friends on their account. They just go through all the filters and laugh themselves silly.
It's pretty fun. The MacRumors team was messing around with it this morning! It's also nice that it's free with no in-app purchases.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

Facebook Feature

Meta Quietly Launches 'Forum,' a Standalone Facebook Groups App

Friday May 22, 2026 5:01 am PDT by
Meta today launched a new standalone app called "Forum" that brings Facebook Groups into a dedicated feed separate from the main Facebook experience. The app was spotted by Matt Navarra without any formal announcement from the company. Its App Store listing describes Forum as "a dedicated space for the conversations that matter most to you," built for the groups users already belong to and...
Facebook Feature

Meta Wants You to Pay for Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp Now

Wednesday May 27, 2026 12:53 pm PDT by
Meta is rolling out paid Instagram Plus, Facebook Plus, and WhatsApp Plus plans worldwide as of today. Instagram Plus is priced at $3.99 per month, Facebook Plus is priced at $3.99 per month, and WhatsApp Plus is priced at $2.99 per month. According to TechCrunch, the paid plans provide features like profile customization, super reactions, and story insights. Instagram Plus lets users see ...
HomePod mini and Apple TV Sage

New Apple TV and HomePod Mini Are 'Nearly Ready' to Launch, New Siri Remote Also Rumored

Sunday May 31, 2026 8:47 am PDT by
New models of the Apple TV 4K and HomePod mini are "nearly ready to go," according to the latest word from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Both devices have been ready "for months," but Apple is holding off on launching them until the more personalized version of Siri is available, he said. "I am told the hardware for the next Apple TV...

🔗 Related Apple News & Rumors

Stay updated with the latest Apple ecosystem news and verified rumors