The removal of Facebook’s widely used Poke and Camera came without warning and little enjoyment. Sources from AppleInsider say Facebook confirmed the apps’ removal, but declined to comment on the matter.
Facebook’s popular Camera app had the same characteristics like those found in Instagram, which the social network purchased for $1 billion in 2012.
Instead of rolling Instagram into its main app, Facebook left the picture sharing service on its own, but borrowed some features like batch uploading and photo filters for the creation of Facebook Camera. Certain functions were actually transferred over to the flagship Facebook app including Camera’s photo selection tool.
As for Poke, the app first launched in 2012 as a competitor to Snapchat, with the app allowing users to send each other messages and short videos. Unlike other messaging services, Facebook’s non-original solution let users set a “self-destruct” time, up to ten seconds long, that would wipe the message after being opened.
By pulling the two apps Facebook is apparently cleaning house as its new Creative Labs division rolls out more software like the long awaited Paper, a storyboard-style approach to reading and interacting with news feeds.
