Apple brings Facetime to Android and Windows – via browser
Apple’s video chat app Facetime will be a little more like Zoom: Apple will also enable the software to be used on Android and Windows in the future.
In the course of the developer conference WWDC 2021 and the presentation of the new functions of iOS 15 and iPadOS 15, Apple announced that it would also bring Facetime to Android and Windows. The group seems to be positioning the application as an alternative to Zoom or Google’s Meet, but Apple does not have native Facetime apps for the two operating systems.
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Facetime for Android and Windows comes via Chrome or Edge
For many Apple users, Facetime is the solution for video chats with family or friends. Until now, like many Apple applications, it was only available on the company’s own iOS and macOS operating systems – that will change with the announcement of iOS 15 and macOS 12: Apple users will in future be able to send invitation links to their contacts by email, WhatsApp or calendar. These can then use Android or Windows users to take part in video chats.
The call can then be received on non-Apple operating systems using a browser such as Edge or Chrome. The condition is that the applications support the H.264 video codec. Apple emphasizes that the Facetime calls are still end-to-end encrypted.
Facetime illustration from Apple: Pretty iPhone next to an ugly Android smartphone with thick bezels and a notch. (Image: Apple)
Facetime for Android and Windows with limited functions
Apple also announced a number of other updates for Facetime, which will be made available in the fall. There is a new option for a grid view and a function for voice isolation to improve the sound quality during video calls. There is also support for spatial audio and an option to mask the background out of focus.
iOS 15 brings many new Facetime functions for sharing content on iPhones – not all should be available for the web version. (Image: Apple)
Other innovations are “Share Play”, with which several users can watch videos or listen to music together and exchange ideas in the video or via chat. These functions do not seem to be fully available to users of the third-party platforms. The note in the footnote that shared content requires a subscription suggests that iOS and Android users will soon be able to watch movies together.
