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Report: Facebook Ripping Off Snapchat's Bitmoji With 'Avatars'

The social network is developing a Bitmoji clone that will let you create cartoon lookalikes of yourself to use in comments and Messenger chats.

Angela Moscaritolo
 & Angela Moscaritolo Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

Our team tests, rates, and reviews more than 1,500 products each year to help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology.

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After unapologetically ripping off Snapchat Stories, Facebook is now taking aim at another one of its messaging rival's popular tools: Bitmoji.

According to TechCrunch, the social network is building its own version of Bitmoji dubbed Facebook Avatars. The feature, which Facebook is reportedly in the early stages of developing, will let you create cartoon lookalikes of yourself to use in comments and Messenger chats. Like with Bitmoji, you'll be able to customize your Facebook Avatar's "skin color, hair style, and facial features," the report notes.

TechCrunch said it was alerted about the Bitmoji clone by developer Jane Manchun Wong, who found evidence of it in the code of Facebook's Android app.

"We're looking into more ways to help people express themselves on Facebook," a Facebook spokesperson told PCMag in an email. At this point, there's no word as to when Facebook will start publicly testing it.

Snapchat in 2016 acquired Bitmoji creator Bitstrips for $64.2 million, and it has proved to be wildly popular, ranking among the top 20 iOS apps of 2017. We here at PCMag included Bitmoji among our 2017 list of 19 Amazing Apps That Will Ruin Your Life.

"You may spend the rest of your life finding just the right Bitmoji to use for every occasion," we warned.

Meanwhile, during its F8 developer conference last week, Facebook previewed new digital avatars on the Oculus Rift that looked like real people, not video game characters, and the results were impressive. The company already offers customizable, cartoonish avatars in its VR-based Spaces app, which lets you communicate with friends in a virtual world.

About Our Expert

Angela Moscaritolo

Angela Moscaritolo

Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

My Experience

I'm PCMag's managing editor for consumer electronics, overseeing an experienced team of analysts covering smart home, home entertainment, wearables, fitness and health tech, and various other product categories. I have been with PCMag for more than 10 years, and in that time have written more than 6,000 articles and reviews for the site. I previously served as an analyst focused on smart home and wearable devices, and before that I was a reporter covering consumer tech news. I'm also a yoga instructor, and have been actively teaching group and private classes for nearly a decade. 

Prior to joining PCMag, I was a reporter for SC Magazine, focusing on hackers and computer security. I earned a BS in journalism from West Virginia University, and started my career writing for newspapers in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

The Technology I Use

My little Florida beach bungalow is brimming with smart home tech. I have a smart speaker or display in every room, allowing me to control other connected devices by voice. The Nest Hub on my bedside table lets me set wake-up alarms, control my smart light bulbs, and set the temperature on my smart thermostat. I use the Amazon Echo Show 8 on my kitchen counter to browse recipes, reorder protein powder, check the weather, and watch the news while I do dishes. 

Because I suffer from allergies, air purifiers are essential. My favorite model is the Dyson Purifier Cool TP07, which doubles as a fan and continuously sends indoor pollution data to its companion mobile app. 

My pitbull Bradley sheds, so a good robot vacuum is a must. I currently use a premium Ecovacs Deebot that can both vacuum and mop, empty its own dustbin, and wash its own mop cloth. 

For fitness, I like to mix up my routine with cycling, indoor rowing, running, and strength training in addition to yoga. I take classes on the Tonal 2 smart strength training machine, I row indoors on an Aviron machine, and track my beach runs with an Apple Watch while listening to music on my Apple AirPods Pro. On the weekends, I love riding e-bikes like the rugged, beach-friendly Aventon Aventure for fun and fitness.

My job involves a lot of virtual meetings, so a quality webcam, microphone, and ring light are important. I use the Jabra PanaCast 20 webcam, the Elgato Wave: 3 microphone, and a Yesker tripod ring light. 

As for my preferred phone platform, I'm an iPhone person, but I've also extensively used Android for product testing.

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