Facebook wants Portal to be the king of video calls, but there’s still work to do

In its race to catch up with Google Assistant and Alexa, Facebook is attempting to make its in-call experiences a major distinction. Doing things together, Facebook says, can bring you closer to loved ones and help you feel like you’re hanging out in the same room — but it doesn’t always work out that way.

Strike up a video call with family on Portal or Facebook Messenger, and an AI-powered Smart Camera will frame the scene, while Smart Volume can amplify or reduce volume so your voice is clearly heard. But once your kids find the AR effects, any meaningful connection you showed up for may be put on hold.