WWDC, is the most awaited event of the year for tech geeks around the globe. Well, we all know WWDC is a platform where the tech giant Apple, announces its latest software & on-coming updates. Just like every year, Apple announced a number of new software & updates at WWDC 2021. However, few of the announcements made by Apple at the event remained on the top. One of those announcements is “Apple is working towards expanding FaceTime for Android & Microsoft later this year.” Alongside this, FaceTime is getting a number of new features as well.
About a decade ago, Apple launched FaceTime application, it is an audio-video calling application, similar to Zoom & Google Meet. Even so, the aforementioned applications are used for the same purpose, their features didn’t match at all. And now, it looks like Apple took a really long time to introduce new features to FaceTime (to compete with Zoom & Google Meet).
Let us first talk about new features added to FaceTime. Apple introduced a new FaceTime feature called FaceTime Links. Now this feature will allow users to generate a link on FaceTime & share it with others, even with non-Apple users. Which is similar to Zoom & Google Meet.
Next, you can now schedule and add FaceTime to a calendar. Moreover, we can expect a whole bunch of new features in FaceTime soon. These features might include, spatial audio support, a new grid view, a voice isolation feature to improve sound quality to FaceTime and SharePlay as well.
That being said, now let us take a closer look at Apple’s move to branch-out FaceTime for Android & Microsoft users.
Well, as announced by Apple, it is allowing non-Apple users to join FaceTime calls by the end of this year. Of course, the calls will be end-to-end encrypted, because privacy is everything.
The company, Apple has been stern about its policies & control over different platforms. So, the announcement to make FaceTime available for non-Apple users, no one was hoping for it.
Anyway, Apple made this announcement but, this is not that simple. Well, the only downside of this announcement is, an Android or Microsoft user can’t really set up a FaceTime call unless they either own an Apple device.
How Android and Web users can join FaceTime Calls?
- Create a FaceTime link.
- Share it to Android and Web users.
- Accept participants’ requests.
For now non-Apple users can’t do anything, but accept the link to join the call. This brings us to how Apple wants to dictate & be the decision-maker for each one of its applications. The truth is, Apple is just trying to tempt non-Apple users to enjoy a titbit of Apple’s application. As more & more non-Apple users are using Zoom & Google Meets applications for virtual meetings & other things, Apple its just trying to eliminate its competitors.
Apple’s closed ecosystem of hardware and software still exists, i.e., Walled Garden of Apple is still there, even if they allow Android & Microsoft users to join FaceTime calls.
Chetna Singh
A biblomaniac, with utmost love for reading, writing and painting. An asthete and altruistic.
