In light of fierce competition with Zoom, Apple recently announced some major updates to the video and voice chat application FaceTime during a developers' conference. Here are a set of new features on FaceTime that will provide you with a unique chatting experience with family and friends, according to CNET:
**Creating an Invitation Link**
Instead of calling another FaceTime user through the app, just like making a phone call, you can now create an invitation link to send to your friends, family, or colleagues. This allows you to place the links in calendars and schedule them for later, instead of having to set up the call when the meeting starts.
**FaceTime on Android and Windows**
FaceTime was previously only available to iPhone and Mac users, but with invitation links, you can now allow people on Android and Windows devices to join the call. Once the link is sent to them, they can join via their web browser on any device they are using.
**Audio Enhancements**
A new voice isolation feature is now available in the FaceTime app, which significantly helps reduce background noise. Another update is spatial audio enhancement, which aims to utilize 3D audio processing to capture more of the surrounding environment from the speaker.
**Portrait Mode for FaceTime**
Using depth-sensing cameras on modern iPhones, iPads, and iMacs during FaceTime, you will be able to achieve an attractive blurred background in your FaceTime calls.
**SharePlay**
SharePlay allows you to watch movies or listen to music simultaneously with your friends and family through FaceTime, enabling the movie to start on all your devices (iPad, iPhone, Mac, or Apple TV) at the same time, simulating the experience of watching together in the same room. Both parties on the call can pause and rewind whatever they are watching, and you can stream the movie to an Apple TV using your phone or iPad for the FaceTime call.
**Group FaceTime Grid View**
With friends and family scattered everywhere, group FaceTime calls are an important feature and the new grid view puts everyone on the call on the screen, making it easier to see the callers, highlighting the active speaker.
