Zoom Adds 30 More Languages In The Live Caption Feature

Zoom announced that it would make the feature available to all its users in the fall of 2021. (photo: Zoom illustration)

JAKARTA - Earlier this year Zoom introduced a live caption or automatic translation feature to its video conferencing application. Now, the company says it will have a number of improvements to that feature and more.

Zoom revealed at the annual Zoomtoopia conference, where the event gave a glimpse of some of the features that are in the works to be brought to the video conferencing software.

The first is the live caption feature, earlier in the year, Zoom announced it would make the feature available to all its users in the fall of 2021. Now, the company plans to make it work in a total of 30 languages.

The company also added direct translation support for 12 languages. Both updates will occur over the next year and come after the company buys a startup that specializes in live translation.

"This expansion of the transcription and translation features will help overcome language barriers that can prevent dynamic communication and collaboration," Zoom said in its official blog post as quoted from Engadget, Tuesday, September 14.

In addition to the live caption feature, Zoom will also provide a connected user experience and streamline workflow, with the release of the Zoom Widget. Where's the Zoom Widget, allowing users to get a quick view of the meeting schedule, see who's already in the meeting, send a quick chat, and more.

Zoom is also working on a Whiteboard experience, which will make the feature available on the web, beyond meetings and calls. To that end, users will find a separate Whiteboard tab once it launches in beta later this year.

Later next year, Zoom plans to partner with Facebook to bring video conferencing software and Whiteboard features to the company's Horizon Workrooms, to allow users to access both in virtual reality technology.

Not only that, Zoom is also working on some features that are smaller but still stand out. For example, support for end-to-end encryption will be coming to the Zoom Phone. This allows users to securely keep phone calls made via Zoom.