Feed: Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics
Feed Link: https://www.engadget.com/
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Title: Signal makes it easier to start group video calls

Date: Tue, 12 Nov 2024 15:35:19 +0000
Link: https://www.engadget.com/apps/signal-makes-it...

Signal users may be familiar with the problem of creating group chats just
for a group call, but thatΓÇÖs about to become a thing of the past. You can
now share a call link and let up to 50 people hop in, all in the span of a
few seconds. The days of selecting contacts one by one are over.

Now, all you have to do is create a call link after going to the Calls tab
and send it to whomever you want. The link is also reusable, which is
convenient if you have fixed call times. Participants can raise their hands
and send emojis. Hosts can set the room up so people must be approved before
joining the conversation.

Based on SignalΓÇÖs blog post, the new group call experience highly resembles
Zoom. Those interested in privacy yet desire a conference call-like
experience may find the new update helpful. Like Zoom, the desktop app offers
more options.

Besides Zoom, these features will be familiar to frequent users of Microsoft
Teams, Google Meet and some WhatsApp users. Raising hands is found on all
three platforms as a non-verbal way to signal the speaker. WhatsApp does have
a lower participant count of 32 people after an update in June. While
thereΓÇÖs no raise hands function, doing certain gestures can send emojis for
all to see. ItΓÇÖs worth noting that many apps with group call functionality
are adopting similar features.

These new features are available on Android, iOS, Windows and macOS. If you
donΓÇÖt see them yet, we recommend updating your Signal app.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at
https://www.engadget.com/apps/signal-makes-it...
calls-153519653.html?src=rss

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