Facebook has taken aggressive action to challenge Zoom, the big tech hit of the Covid-19 crisis, by introducing its own video call feature.
Without fanfare, Facebook has made a soft launch of its video call feature as part of Messenger, instant messaging mobile app. The new feature is available to some users via a "Create a Room" link in Messenger.
The soft launch of the video app feature comes two weeks after Facebook launched a desktop version of Messenger that allows video calls on PCs with Facebook friends.
But now with two clicks, Facebook mobile users can open a conversation room and invite in all the participants that they want without needing to download an additional app. Facebook Messenger users can even invite people that don't have a Facebook account to a video chat. Like with Zoom, video chat invitations are issued through a designated link to the chat room, with the invitee requiring a smartphone and the Facebook Messenger app.
"The feature is being tested in select markets."
Facebook told "Globes," "We’re always exploring more ways to help people stay connected. This feature is being tested in select markets to make it easier for people to invite friends to join video calls with a link, regardless of if they have a Facebook or Messenger account. Stay tuned for more updates in the coming days."
The simplicity of Facebook's video chat app would seem to threaten Zoom, whose big advantage is its easy-to-use interface, and the availability and reliability of its service. Zoom's convenience has seen it grow massively during the coronavirus pandemic with millions of people worldwide using the service for the first time during lockdown. Within just three months the number of Zoom users has soared from 10 million to 200 million but this is still far short of the number of Facebook users and both Instagram and WhatsApp, which it owns.
All this said, it seems that with its new feature Facebook is challenging Zoom more in the home market than the professional market. Zoom is better built for professional and work needs because of its user management mechanism, and ability to schedule meetings, and set meetings for very large groups of up to 100 and even 500 with plugins. It is not yet clear how many participants Facebook's feature could support on a mobile phone but it is estimated to be a few dozens.
In addition, Facebook's feature contains features for leisure time and personal needs including effects and filters like Snap's stories or other features on Facebook itself and Instagram.
In addition, Facebook's feature contains programs and services for leisure time and personal needs including effects and filters like Snap's stories or other features on Facebook itself and Instagram. Facebook's video chat feature also offers animation activities for the chat participants.
How to get to the new feature
Users wanting to check if the new Facebook feature appears on their Messenger app should take note that it does not appear on the default screen that opens when operating the app on which the user's recent chats appear. The icon for operating the feature appears on a secondary screen called "People." The "People" tab is at the bottom of the app screen and opens up a page in which the users contacts appear. The link to the new feature is above all the contacts.
Click on the link which says "Visit the Room" and it automatically opens the chat room in which the camera already works and a large icon saying "Share Link" stands out. Clicking on this opens a screen in which it is possible to copy the link or send it via Messenger, Instagram, a text message, or email.
Published by Globes, Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on April 21, 2020
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