For years, FaceTime could only be used if you had an Apple device, but that is about to change. Android and Windows users will soon be able to make video calls with Apple’s service. How does that work?
Earlier this month, at WWDC, it was announced that FaceTime will be available for Android and Android Windowsdevices. Not via a separate app, but via the web browser.
Soon it will be possible to start one-on-one or group conversations with people outside the Apple ecosystem via FaceTime, by sending them a link via chat apps like Telegram and WhatsApp or via email. If your contact then clicks on the link, he can make a video call via his web browser.
According to Apple, the web version of FaceTime only works in the latest versions of Chrome and Edge that support the H.264 video format.
Only receive calls
You can only create a conversation if you have a iPhone or iPad, so it’s not possible to start a new FaceTime call from the browser. This is obviously not ideal and makes FaceTime a lot less suitable for companies or groups of friends with different types of smartphones.
It is obvious that from iOS 15 and iPadOS it will be possible to share FaceTime links with your contacts, but Apple has not yet confirmed that suspicion. The new operating systems for the iPhone and iPad are expected this fall.
Even though conversations don’t go through an app, Apple says the conversations remain secure thanks to end-to-end encryption. It is still unclear whether Apple plans to develop an Android version of the FaceTime app in the future. There are other apps from Apple available for beschikbaar androiddevices, including Apple Music and Apple TV.
Additional Features
There are also some new features coming to FaceTime, including the option to pin multiple videos and determine the format of the different videos yourself. This function is similar to, for example, Gallery View in Zoom and is especially useful for group conversations. You will also soon be able to filter background noise, make voices sound more realistic or filter out background noise in FaceTime.
Also interesting is the SharePlay function, with which everyone can listen to the same music or watch a movie at the same time. Users can share videos, music or their own screen. Disney+, Twitch, HBO Max and ESPN, among others, will support the SharePlay function, Netflix not yet.
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