iOS 15 Brings FaceTime to PC and Android Users With New Option to Join on the Web

With the iOS 15, iPadOS 15, and macOS Monterey updates, Apple is expanding the reach of FaceTime by allowing anyone, even those without Apple devices, to join a ‌FaceTime‌ call.

facetime new features
In iOS 15 and its sister updates, you can create a link to a ‌FaceTime‌ conversation that can be shared anywhere. Using this link, friends and family members who do not have an Apple device can log into a ‌FaceTime‌ call using a web browser.

Non-Apple users can join a one-on-one ‌FaceTime‌ call or a Group ‌FaceTime‌ call, effectively making ‌FaceTime‌ a more platform-agnostic video service that is no longer just limited to iOS users. You do, however, need an iOS user to start a ‌FaceTime‌ call and send a link.

Invite anyone to join you in a FaceTime call, even friends who don't have an Apple device.2 They can join you for one-on-one and Group FaceTime calls right from their browser instantly -- no login necessary.

Apple says that non-Apple users can join calls using the newest versions of Chrome or Edge. Sending video requires H.264 video encoding support.

There are a ton of other updates and improvements to ‌FaceTime‌, including Spatial audio support, Portrait mode support, Voice Isolation mode for drowning out background noise, Grid view for seeing all participants, and a new SharePlay feature that's designed to let you watch movies, listen to music, and share your screen with friends and family members.

Related Forum: iOS 15

Top Rated Comments

DsurioN Avatar
37 months ago
C’mon Apple, you might as well go all the way and also throw in iMessage.
Score: 35 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sh20 Avatar
37 months ago
11 years late, literally to the day.

I remember Steve Jobs introducing facetime as an open source standard. we still aren’t there yet but I guess this is a good first step. Another 11 years and maybe it will finally be a standard.

https://www.cnet.com/news/steve-jobs-promised-to-make-facetime-open-source-its-time/
Score: 24 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DesignTime Avatar
37 months ago
Tim must have gotten tired of having to use Zoom for business meetings o_O
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
_Spinn_ Avatar
37 months ago
Wow this is surprising. Seems like Apple wants to compete more with Zoom if they are opening FaceTime to the web for other platforms.
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
macsplusmacs Avatar
37 months ago
Let them eat web.
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
AvisDeene Avatar
37 months ago
Wow, I never saw this coming. Good on Apple.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

maxresdefault

Apple to Launch New iPad Pro and iPad Air Models in May

Thursday March 28, 2024 11:07 am PDT by
Apple will introduce new iPad Pro and iPad Air models in early May, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Gurman previously suggested the new iPads would come out in March, and then April, but the timeline has been pushed back once again. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Apple is working on updates to both the iPad Pro and iPad Air models. The iPad Pro models will...
General Apps Messages

Google Reveals When to Expect RCS Support on iPhone for Improved Texting With Android Users

Friday March 29, 2024 7:14 am PDT by
In November, Apple announced that the iPhone would support the cross-platform messaging standard RCS (Rich Communication Services) in the Messages app starting "later" in 2024, and Google has now revealed a more narrow timeframe. In a since-deleted section of the revamped Google Messages web page, spotted by 9to5Google, Google said that Apple would be adopting RCS on the iPhone in the "fall...
airtag new orange

Criminals in Montreal Using AirTags to Steal Vehicles

Friday March 29, 2024 12:50 pm PDT by
Thieves in Montreal, Canada have been using Apple's AirTags to facilitate vehicle theft, according to a report from Vermont news sites WCAX and NBC5 (via 9to5Mac). Police officers in Burlington, Vermont have issued a warning about AirTags for drivers who recently visited Canada. Two Burlington residents found Apple AirTags in their vehicles after returning from trips to Montreal, and these...
top stories 30mar2024

Top Stories: WWDC 2024 Announced, New iPads Delayed, and More

Saturday March 30, 2024 6:00 am PDT by
Apple's WWDC 2024 dates have been announced, giving us timing for the unveiling of the company's next round of major operating system updates and likely some other announcements. This week also saw some disappointing news on the iPad front, with update timing for the iPad Pro and iPad Air pushed back from previous rumors. We did hear some new tidbits about what might be coming in iOS 18 and...
iphone 16 cases sonny dickson 1

First iPhone 16 Cases Outline New Rear Vertical Camera Bump

Friday March 29, 2024 4:09 am PDT by
Photos of the first iPhone 16 cases have been shared online, offering another preview of the rumored new vertical rear camera arrangement on the standard iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus. Image credit: Accessory leaker Sonny Dickson Over the last few months, Apple has been experimenting with different camera bump designs for the standard iPhone 16 models, all of which have featured a vertical ...
Apple iPhone 15 Pro spatial video capture lifestyle

$3 App Shoots Better Quality Spatial Video Than iPhone's Camera App

Friday March 29, 2024 4:48 am PDT by
A $3 third-party app can now record spatial video on iPhone 15 Pro models in a higher resolution than Apple's very own Camera app. Thanks to an update first spotted by UploadVR, Spatialify can now record spatial videos with HDR in 1080p at 60fps or in 4K at 30fps. In comparison, Apple's native Camera app is limited to recording spatial video in 1080p at 30fps. Shortly after Apple's Vision ...