Can Video Call Up To 50 People Facebook Portal Ready To Compete With Zoom

Facebook Portal (ExtremeTech)

JAKARTA - Facebook has launched Messenger Rooms on Portal, a video chat device (smart device). The company also has a new feature, namely the ability to switch from the Portal to the main page and Facebook Groups.

With Messenger Rooms on the Portal, you can gather as many as 50 participants to make video calls. Users can also attach AR (Augmented Reality) effects and Story Time when making calls.

"Starting today, you can easily mingle with friends and family via group video calls with Messenger Rooms on the Portal, the video chat link that can be shared with up to 50 people makes it easier to be with other people remotely," said Facebook like quoted from Ubergizmo, Thursday 18 June.

As it is known, Messenger Rooms are basically Facebook's challengers to Zoom. Messenger previously allowed users to make video calls. Although not as many participants as Zoom users, namely 100 people, many claim that the application made by Mark Zuckerberg will be able to compete with Zoom.

Facebook also said that users can use the Live or Live feature from the Portal device to the Main Page and Facebook Group by using other devices such as Mini Portal, Portal, or Portal +.

"Previously, the Facebook Live application on the Portal allows you to broadcast to your personal profile, and now you can also use Live on your main page and Facebook Group," the company said.

Users can also change the background or replace it with a pre-selected image using Portal Spaces while making a call on the Portal.

"Now (you can) share photos from your cell phone using the mobile application on the Portal with friends and family when making Messenger calls," Facebook said.

"Later this month, we will be bringing two new stories to Story Time on Portal including 'The Okay Book' by Todd Parr and 'How To Eat Pizza' by Jon Burgerman with more titles coming this summer," he added.

The company said that in the coming weeks, they will add "Hey Portal" functionality, including commands in English and the ability to initiate WhatsApp calls via the Portal device. This feature is claimed to be similar to Apple's Siri.