Facebook Just Solved the Most Annoying Thing About Smartphone Pictures

1 minute read

You know when you pose for a group photo and you have to wait for every friend to take a snap with their own smartphone? Well, wait no longer.

Facebook unveiled a new photo sharing app on Monday that enables users to sync photos with their friends so no one has to flash a frozen grin for minutes while the same shot is taken across half a dozen smartphones.

The standalone app, Moments, uses Facebook’s facial recognition algorithms to identify which friends are captured within the picture frame (the same technology is currently used to suggest tags for photos uploaded to Facebook). The user then is given the option of syncing the photo with the selected friends or sharing it more widely across the social network.

The app was released as a free download in the iTunes and Google Play stores on Monday.

Around the World With Facebook

Facebook offices in Hyderabad, India in 2010.
Facebook offices in Hyderabad, India in 2010.Lynsey Addario for TIME/Getty Images Reportage
Facebook offices in Hyderabad, India in 2010.
Facebook offices in Hyderabad, India in 2010.Lynsey Addario for TIME/Getty Images Reportage
Facebook offices in Hyderabad, India in 2010.
Facebook offices in Hyderabad, India in 2010.Lynsey Addario for TIME/Getty Images Reportage
Facebook offices in Hyderabad, India in 2010.
Facebook offices in Hyderabad, India in 2010.Lynsey Addario for TIME/Getty Images Reportage
Facebook offices in Hyderabad, India in 2010.
Facebook offices in Hyderabad, India in 2010.Lynsey Addario for TIME/Getty Images Reportage
Facebook offices in Hyderabad, India in 2010.Indian and American employees work out of the Facebook offices in Hyderabad, India, December 1, 2010. The offices were recently opened in September 2010, and are presently hiring new employees. (Photograph by Lynsey Addario/Getty Images Reportage)
Facebook offices in Hyderabad, India in 2010.Lynsey Addario for TIME/Getty Images Reportage
Facebook offices in Hyderabad, India in 2010.
Facebook offices in Hyderabad, India in 2010.Lynsey Addario for TIME/Getty Images Reportage
Facebook offices in Dublin, Ireland in 2010.
Facebook offices in Dublin, Ireland in 2010.Simon Burch for TIME
Facebook offices in Dublin, Ireland in 2010.
Facebook offices in Dublin, Ireland in 2010.Simon Burch for TIME
Facebook offices in Dublin, Ireland in 2010.
Facebook offices in Dublin, Ireland in 2010.Simon Burch for TIME
Facebook offices in Dublin, Ireland in 2010.
Facebook offices in Dublin, Ireland in 2010.Simon Burch for TIME
Facebook offices in Dublin, Ireland in 2010.
Facebook offices in Dublin, Ireland in 2010.Simon Burch for TIME
Facebook offices in Paris, France in 2010.
Facebook offices in Paris, France in 2010.Tomas van Houtryve—VII for TIME
Facebook offices in Paris, France in 2010.
Facebook offices in Paris, France in 2010.Tomas van Houtryve—VII for TIME
Facebook offices in Paris, France in 2010.
Facebook offices in Paris, France in 2010.Tomas van Houtryve—VII for TIME
Facebook offices in Paris, France in 2010.
Facebook offices in Paris, France in 2010.Tomas van Houtryve—VII for TIME
Facebook offices in Paris, France in 2010.
Facebook offices in Paris, France in 2010.Tomas van Houtryve—VII for TIME
Facebook offices in Paris, France in 2010.
Facebook offices in Paris, France in 2010.Tomas van Houtryve—VII for TIME
Facebook offices in Paris, France in 2010.
Facebook offices in Paris, France in 2010.Tomas van Houtryve—VII for TIME

More Must-Reads From TIME

Contact us at letters@time.com