What you need to know
- FaceTime will be available on Android and Windows devices through the web.
- The expansion of FaceTime could roll out alongside iOS 15, though Apple hasn't confirmed a release date.
- Many FaceTime features will remain exclusive to iOS and macOS.
At WWDC, Apple announced that FaceTime is on the way to Android and Windows through the web. Facetime has been exclusive to iOS and macOS devices for years, so an expansion to other platforms will allow hundreds of millions of people to access it.
FaceTime coming to Windows and Android through the web may be the biggest news of the day about the service, but Apple also unveiled some other upcoming improvements. FaceTime will soon let you create a link of a scheduled call that you can share in advance, much like Zoom and Microsoft Teams.
Apple didn't share a release date for FaceTime on the web, but it could arrive with the release of iOS 15 this fall.
FaceTime will also gain new features in iOS 15, including a new grid option, spatial audio support, and the option to blur your background. Audio will also improve on iOS 15, thanks to a voice isolation feature. As you'd expect, it appears that the best FaceTime experience will be on Apple hardware, but it not being exclusive to iOS and macOS is a big deal.
All of these changes illustrate a shift by Apple regarding FaceTime. It's clear that FaceTime will be positioned as more of a direct competitor to Zoom and Microsoft Teams, regardless of what device someone uses.
This is a developing story, so we'll add more details as they come in.
