Facebook unlikely to launch auto-play video ads this year

Washington: Facebook is reportedly unlikely to rollout the much-awaited auto-play ads on its site. Sources said that Facebook has advised some advertisers not to expect the service rollout before 2014.

According to ABC News, the service was earlier speculated to be launched in the first half of this year, but now appears to be pushed forward for another time. The delay can be due to the risk involved in displaying such ads which play automatically with no audio at first, and users can turn on the sound later. The report said that Facebook is waiting to evaluate the service thoroughly before the debut and see how its users have interacted with similar noncommercial videos that the site launched earlier this year. Morgan Stanley had said earlier this year that Facebook could rake in 1 billion dollars from video ads in 2013.